Reflections on Renewed Xenophobic Attacks in South Africa : A Continued Violation of the Bill Of Rights Enshrined in the 1996 Constitution 

Xenophobic attacks in South Africa are continued recurring phenomena. They continue to destabilise the country's socio-economic and political stabilities especially when they are at a higher intensity. In 2019, there were several renewed xenophobic attacks that struck Johannesburg Central Business District (CBD) (South Africa), mostly targeted at African foreign nationals including Nigerians, Somalis and Zimbabweans. Against this backdrop and limited scholarly literature on the state of xenophobic attacks that plagued South Africa in 2019, this article aimed to employ the Scapegoat hypothesis as its theoretical spyglass to reflect on xenophobia in South Africa and how its renewed attacks on foreign nationals continue to violate both the Bill of Rights enshrined in the 1996 Constitution of South Africa. By depending on a qualitative research approach in the form of document review that was complemented by informal interviews, we argue that xenophobia and xenophobic attacks on African foreign nationals amount to a continued violation of the Bill of Rights enshrined in the Constitution of South Africa. The findings have revealed that xenophobic attacks in South Africa have become a national crisis that needs urgent policy attention, particularly as they violate and undermine Human Rights protected in the Bill of Rights. Policy recommendations that may assist to stop xenophobia were proposed.