Reflections on Violence and Scapegoating in the Strike and Protest Culture in South Africa

Abstract

In this article we ask whether we can speak of violence and scapegoating as being part of the culture of protest in South Africa. With reference to relevant literature, we outline some reflections on the symbolic significance of violence and scapegoating within the context of strike and protest action. We utilise the theoretical position of the scapegoat to illustrate how and why the government and its associated symbols are often targets of violence from protesting communities and strikers. The objective is to assert that scapegoats and violence are symbolically linked. Further, we determine how scapegoating and violence are justified as a facet of strike and protest culture.