Manuel Josias Sithole

Manuel Josias Sithole, commonly known as Emmanuel Sithole, was a Mozambican immigrant who was brutally stabbed to death on 18 April 2015 on second street in Alexandra Township, Johannesburg.[1] James Oatway and Beauregard Tromp were taking pictures and reporting on break ins and looting of shops associated with xenophobic violence that began at the end of March in Gauteng.[2]

2008 Background

Seven years prior, on the in May 2008, Alexandra Township had been transformed into a War Zone [3] In a wave of attacks, looting and arson followed across townships with 62 people dying, 342 looted shops, 213 burnt down and widespread displacement.[4][5][6] The deployment of the SANDF was approved on 15 May 2008. [7] Thabo Mbeki's response was to deny that the violence was xenophobic and attributed the actions to township crime.[8] In the aftermath, the state was criticised both for its inadequate response, its lack of a co-ordinated response and for creating conditions where in the crisis took place.[7][9]

2015 Hostility toward African migrants

Towards the end of March, 2015, Xenophobic violence began brewing in Gauteng cities[10] and "corrective violence” (vigilantism)[11] saw black South Africans taking the law into their hands and justifying looting and discrimination by referring to a desire to address crime and drug abuse.[11] Scepticism about the effectiveness of police (and their neutrality) and the capability of state institutions, was again expressed. [12]

Effects of the image

A series of photographs about the Sithole's murder, taken by photojournalist Oatway, dominated the collective memory. The photos gave the target of violence “a face, a name, a life and a personality” [13] While the perpetrators of Sithole's murder were punished,[14] the pattern of xenophobia denialism with the state's insistence on criminality or the displacement of responsibility onto a "third force"

Following Sithole's murder, Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa Nqakula announced that the South African National Defence Force would be deployed to “volatile areas",[15] Operation Fiela (meaning ‘sweep’ in Sesotho) would raid hostels, churches, and apartment buildings looking for more undocumented migrants.[16]

References

  1. ↑ Makhafola, Gertrude (2015-05-13). "Court hears details of xenophobic attack on Sithole". Mail & Guardian. Retrieved 2026-06-12.
  2. ↑ "James Oatway and "The Killing of Emmanuel Sithole"". www.ru.ac.za. October 8, 2012.
  3. ↑ Kebaabetswe Neo Dorah Khalo (2013). Alexandra residents' views on xenophobic attacks (MA Thesis). University of Johannesburg. hdl:10210/8454.
  4. ↑ Mkandawire, Hlazo (January 13, 2015). "Media retaliation against the 2015 xenophobic attacks in South Africa - the case of the QFM Radio in Zambia". Global Media Journal - African Edition. 9 (2): 191–216. hdl:10520/EJC184123 – via journals.co.za (Atypon).
  5. ↑ "S.Africa violence toll rises to 62 - South Africa | ReliefWeb".
  6. ↑ "Documenting violence against migrants in South Africa – a photo essay". June 21, 2021 – via The Guardian.
  7. 1 2 "Fears Over the South African Government`s Response to the Xenophobia Crisis". ISS Africa.
  8. ↑ "Mbeki says attacks on foreigners not xenophobia". Mail & Guardian. July 3, 2008.
  9. ↑ "Parties slam govt over xenophobic attacks". Mail & Guardian. 2008-05-19. Retrieved 2026-06-13.
  10. ↑ "South Africa struggles to halt anti-immigrant violence". Al Jazeera.
  11. 1 2 Munusamy, Ranjeni (April 17, 2015). "South Africa: The place of shame, violence and disconnect". Daily Maverick.
  12. ↑ Hågensen, L Understanding the Causes and the Nature of Xenophobia in South Africa: A Case Study of De Doorns
  13. ↑ "Publish and be damned in name of patriotism". Bizcommunity.
  14. ↑ "One freed in Emmanuel Sithole murder trial". TimesLIVE. November 4, 2015.
  15. ↑ Watson, Amanda. "SANDF to be deployed in Alexandra". The Citizen. Archived from the original on 2016-08-11. Retrieved 2026-06-13.
  16. ↑ "Controversial South African 'Security' Operation Nets 1,650 Undocumented Migrants". Lawyers for Human Rights.
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