I'll presume you to either also be South African or at least following politics here. Yes, Zuma wasn't in power, but this was around campaigning time leading up

I'll presume you to either also be South African or at least following politics here. Yes, Zuma wasn't in power, but this was around campaigning time leading up to 2009. The violence wasn't pervasive around most of the country, but was in many people's post-analysis linked to local politicking. The country wasn't different between 2008 and 2009, but as a township living black South African I can tell you that because of what populists have said, and the role of the media incorrectly reporting to click-bait us, things have gotten worse. To answer your first question, many people have posted that this has been happening in the US, what I'm saying is that if a senior political can say something popular yet Constitutionally incorrect, people who have the "power" to act on that will use their power.