Ms. Asivile Loki is a first-year masters student at Stellenbosch University (SU), working towards a MA in English Literature. She recently completed her Honours degree at SU, titled “Black Faces, White Spaces: An autoethnographic study of assimilation, alienation and othering in three texts” where she investigated the positionality of Black bodies in predominantly white spaces (Historically white Afrikaans institution). Asivile is a recipient of a Masters scholarship through AVReQ, funded by First Rand Bank and her current research project is titled “Rain blood nation: Afrophobia and the brutality against Black Bodies in post-apartheid South Africa.” Her dissertation investigates anti-Black foreigner sentiments as well as the heightened violence against African foreign nationals at the hands of Black South Africans.

This study explores the ever-changing perception of African foreign nationals, whose image has transitioned from migrant labourer and ally, to foreigner during the struggle against apartheid and finally to a social burden faced with immense hostility and hatred in post-apartheid South Africa. Furthermore, this project intends to examine both the persistence of Afrophobia particularly in underprivileged locations, as well as the unprosecuted, “inconsequential violence” regularly inflicted on Black bodies in the South African climate.

Supervisors: Dr Uhuru Phalafala & Prof Pumla Gobodo-Madikizela

Email: 23293241@sun.ac.za | Tel: +27 (21) 808 4047