Antisemitism levels in SA as measured by incidents recorded by the SAJBD and CSO rose by 15% in 2012, with 50 cases logged compared to 42 in 2011 and 66 in 2010.
Whereas the previous year, antisemitic acts were all of a non -violent nature, in 2012 there were three cases of assault and one serious case of vandalism.
Surprisingly, in view of previous experience, the upsurge of violence between Israel and Hamas in November did not lead to a spike in antisemitic behavior.
Some 50% of incidents comprised either the one – on-one sending of hate mail to Jewish recipients (usually anonymously) or mass email postings of antisemitic literature (the majority of which were sent by serial offender Snowy Smith , against whom the SAJBD has since instituted court proceedings).
The balance was made up of verbal abuse (20%), and a handful of cases of assault, vandalism, graffiti and offensive media.
