A South African living in France has witnessed fires and looting as unrest over the cost of living and public services disrupts daily life, including his university studies. 

Marion Erskine (50), an author and radio playwright originally from Westonaria in Gauteng, left South Africa in 2002.  
 
He has lived in the US, Taiwan and the UAE. In 2023, he moved to France and currently lives in Nantes, where he is studying French. 

Unrest and looting  

According to a BBC report, peaceful demonstrations on Saturday turned violent after groups of masked activists and vandals infiltrated the crowds. An estimated 1 500 shops and businesses were looted and destroyed across the country, while police used tear gas, water cannons and batons to disperse rioters. 

France’s interior ministry said about 1 000 police officers were injured during the clashes, including seven seriously. 

Historical landmarks were also damaged, including the Limoges Town Hall. 

The French authorities have also imposed overnight curfews in parts of central Paris and other cities. 

Frustration over rising living costs 

Erskine says he has witnessed people setting fires and looting amid frustration over the rising cost of living and the education system. 

“From my perspective, life has become very expensive,” says Erskine. 

“It is a worldwide situation. Petrol prices have increased drastically around the world because of the situation in the Middle East right now, which was not caused by South Africa or France, but we are all suffering. The prices of goods are high and people are struggling.” 

He adds that although public education in France is free, teacher absences and ageing school furniture affect pupils. 

“The students feel like they are being left behind.” 

Peaceful protests 

Erskine says that while most people are protesting respectfully to demand better opportunities, some people are hijacking the situation and are ‘breaking, burning and looting’.  

“It is not the normal students who are doing this.” 

He believes French authorities are trying to manage the unrest. 

“For every action, there is a reaction,” says Erskine. 

“You have these young rioters who throw bricks at the police, and the police respond by shooting tear gas at them, the same as you see in every other country.” 

University closures disrupt studies 

The unrest has affected Erskine personally, forcing his university classes to be suspended ahead of upcoming examinations. 

“I took a sabbatical for a year to improve my French because living here without speaking the language fluently is very difficult,” says Erskine. 

 “It also affects looking for the right type of job. I have until December 3 to complete classes for my French diploma.” 

He says international students in his class, including refugees from Iran and Ukraine, have also been affected.

He explains that they have struggled to attend classes or access online learning materials because of building closures and limited internet access at their accommodation. 

A South African perspective on French hardship 

Erskine says his experiences in South Africa have given him perspective on hardship, but he recognises that French citizens have their own struggles. 

“When I hear the average French person talking, it feels to me like they are complaining with a white baguette under their arm, but I realise that this is their reality and their hurt,” says Erskine. 

 “I, as a South African, cannot tell them they do not know what real suffering is. For them, this is very painful, and that is important to understand.” 

Despite the ongoing disruptions, Erskine says he feels safe.

“We are just vigilant, following orders, and avoiding dangerous areas.” 

He believes that the unrest has left many French people unsettled.

“The average person is sad; it’s not the France that they built and the France that they knew.” 

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