Reviewed by Amanda Xulu
In ‘Foreign Natives’ to ‘Native Foreigners’
Michael Neocosmos brilliantly uncovers the perplexing xenophobic attitudes that
seem to characterise South African society. Xenophobia in South Africa is a
problematic occurrence as one can see it overtly through institutionalised
xenophobia practiced by the state and through covert xenophobia that can be
seen in regular people’s interactions with people that are not South African.
This book was a very interesting (and exciting) read for me because of
Neocosmos’ brilliant way of unpacking the myths that some people use as
justifications for the xenophobic attitudes and actions. Neocosmos ultimately
proves that xenophobia in South Africa is not only on the ground, but is
continuously institutionalised by the current post-apartheid government, which
inherited its attitudes from the previous apartheid regime.
