Colonialism, xenophobia and SGBV — SA must reclaim ubuntu
Both gender-based and xenophobic violence have a deep-rooted legacy in South Africa’s colonial past, which imposed hierarchical racial systems that portrayed especially Black African women as non-human.
Colonialism, xenophobia and gender-based violence (SGBV) in South Africa demand a reclamation of the African concept of ubuntu – "a person is a person through other persons." The country's history of colonial rule imposed hierarchical racial and gendered systems, portraying Black African women as non-human. This legacy persists in modern forms of violence against women and marginalised groups.
Angeline Stephens, a psychologist focusing on trauma, violence, identity, gender and sexuality, highlights that both gender-based violence and xenophobic violence are rooted in coloniality, which construes women, especially Black African women, as non-human. The African Union's 2025 convention on ending violence against women and girls acknowledges digital and private-public violence but ignores less explicit forms of violence that target women, girls, children, and other marginalised groups.
The systemic inequalities, economic exploitation, and cis-heteropatriarchal culture normalising dehumanising practices share roots with colonial legacies. To combat violence, South Africa must address historical roots, systemic inequities, and colonial legacies while embracing ubuntu, feminist leadership, and positive masculinities.
Written by urgent.news from Daily Maverick's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
