As anti-foreigner tensions flare again in parts of South Africa, critics question whether the government’s efforts to address xenophobia are effective. The country has experienced repeated episodes of violence targeting migrants from across the region, including Zimbabwe, Nigeria, Somalia, Ethiopia, Malawi, Mozambique, Ghana and Zambia.
Earlier this month Nigeria summoned South Africa’s acting high commissioner amid growing protests against African migrants. The pattern of unrest is familiar: more than 60 people were killed in anti-immigrant riots in 2008, similar violence resurfaced in 2015 and 2016, and armed mobs attacked foreign-owned businesses in and around Johannesburg in 2019, leaving at least 12 people dead.
Public frustration over unemployment, crime, overcrowded services and poor living conditions is often redirected toward migrants, who are blamed for problems that run much deeper. Loren Landau, senior migration researcher at the University of the Witwatersrand’s African Centre for Migration and Society, says scapegoating diverts attention from the real drivers of South Africa’s crises, undermines democracy and threatens the wellbeing of both citizens and foreigners. “Migrants are not the source of any of South Africa’s challenges,” Landau argues, pointing out that their numbers are too small to materially affect employment or crime rates.
The government insists it condemns violence against foreign nationals and is taking steps to strengthen social cohesion and better manage migration. Foreign Minister Ronald Lamola has warned civilians not to assume the role of immigration enforcers, saying it is wrong for people to tell others “You are not South African, you must go home” — language he describes as xenophobic. Lamola has also dismissed the idea that targeting migrants will solve economic woes: “The economic challenges and unemployment issues will not be resolved by chasing anyone. This is not just a security issue, it is an economic and social issue.”
Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni has likewise condemned vigilantism and rejected attempts by non-law-enforcement actors to demand people’s passports. Still, some critics say parts of the official response risk making tensions worse, citing reports that vulnerable people seeking protection during unrest were dispersed with rubber bullets.
At the same time, activist groups campaigning against undocumented migration have gained influence. Operation Dudula, which calls for stricter measures against undocumented migrants, has a vocal base that argues immigrants strain jobs, healthcare and housing. Supporters say the movement fills a void left by government failure; Patrick Mokgalusi, a member of Operation Dudula, told reporters that “people are in charge now” and called for mass deportations of undocumented foreigners. Opponents warn that such movements can inflame xenophobic sentiment and spur vigilante actions.
Refugee advocates point to the dangers of a heavy-handed approach. Vusumuzi Sibanda, chairman of the African Diaspora Global Network, warned that some state and local responses could exacerbate fear and instability, rather than calm it. Former president Thabo Mbeki has also challenged attempts to blame undocumented migrants for South Africa’s problems, noting that migration occurred during periods of stronger economic performance and lower crime.
For migrants themselves, fear has become part of daily life. Princess Adjei, a Ghanaian who has lived in South Africa since childhood, described an atmosphere of escalating tension: “It’s getting hectic. It feels like a war now. We as foreigners are not safe anywhere,” she said, warning that tensions are prompting some migrants to respond with force and that lives are at risk. Moses Chanda, a Zambian entrepreneur in Johannesburg, said xenophobic violence often begins with rumours and misinformation — claims that foreigners are taking jobs or running illegal businesses can quickly lead to looting and attacks.
Not everyone believes South Africa should be defined solely by episodes of xenophobia. Many residents point to everyday cooperation across communities and emphasise that poverty and frustration, rather than hatred of foreigners, underlie much of the unrest. Nomsa Dlamini, a Johannesburg resident, said the real problem is economic hardship: communities collaborate despite tensions, she said, and blaming foreigners oversimplifies deep structural problems.
Observers say South Africa faces a difficult balancing act: responding to legitimate public concerns about services and employment while upholding constitutional protections and regional solidarity. Experts argue that durable solutions will require addressing the structural causes of poverty and unemployment, improving service delivery, countering misinformation, enforcing the law impartially, and ensuring migration policies are humane and effective.
As the country grapples with these competing pressures, voices across the region are watching closely. For many migrants, the message is simple: “We are Africans too,” as Adjei put it. “We came here to work and build lives, not to take anything away from anyone.” The challenge for South Africa is to translate that shared reality into policies and practices that protect all people and tackle the root causes of unrest.