What is Makwerekwere

This chapter explores xenophobic or Afrophobic language and its effects in perpetuating violence, hatred, and fear on non-South Africans. For decades, South Africa was subjected to colonial and apartheid regimes underpinned by governance ethos based on divisive policies that discriminate people based on race, gender, ethnicity, and place of origin. It argues that the derogatory language/vocabulary such as ‘amakwerekwere' migrants, ‘amagrigamba', ‘abelokufika', and aliens is used to describe and perpetuate xenophobia-Afrophobia. The author concludes that the daily articulation of derogatory labels does not only perpetuate xenophobic hatred and violence against fellow Africans (Afrophobia), but it also becomes the basis for the re-enforcement of oppressive, discriminatory, and violent tendencies of the past.