As sporadic reports of xenophobic-related violence continue to emerge from various parts of the country some analysts and experts have warned that if the underlying problems which caused the wave of xenophobic violence in 2008 continue to persist a repeat outbreak could occur.

Foreigners have been targeted in Siyathemba township in Balfour, Mpumalanga, during service delivery protests this week, with shops owned by immigrants being looted.

A Rwandan immigrant in Cape Town also claimed he was tortured by police because of his ethnicity. Foreigners living in De Doorns were also forced out of their homes in certain areas least year. Locals claimed the immigrants were given first preference when farmers employed people.

Institute of Race Relations researcher Marius Roodt said the country could be on the brink of a similar situation to the one which rocked the country in May 2008.

“Even though last year the incidents were relatively isolated, many people were affected. So I think it is quite possible we’ll be seeing incidents on the same scale,” he said.

Amnesty International’s Mary Rayner said there must be urgent coordination between police and government.

“There have been sporadic incidents for a long time and gathering pace from 2007, so the problems are continuing to be there,” she said.

However, the Institute for Security Studies Prince Mashele does not believe there will be a repeat of the violence which saw over 60 people being killed. 

“We just prepare ourselves that from time to time we’ll hear an incident of xenophobia here and there,” he said.

He said he does not believe the sporadic incidents reported in the media are a sign of worse to come.