Violence targeting foreign nationals has re-emerged in parts of South Africa, reigniting debate over whether the government’s efforts to curb xenophobia are effective. Migrants from Zimbabwe, Nigeria, Somalia, Ethiopia, Malawi, Mozambique, Ghana and Zambia have repeatedly been the focus of attacks and protests, and diplomatic tensions have followed—Nigeria recently summoned South Africa’s acting high commissioner over a wave of anti-migrant demonstrations.
The country has a history of such outbreaks. More than 60 people died in anti-immigrant riots in 2008. Similar unrest flared again in 2015 and 2016. In 2019 armed mobs attacked foreign-owned shops around Johannesburg, killing at least 12 people, 10 of whom were South African citizens.
Authorities and analysts point to frustration over unemployment, high crime, strained public services and poor living conditions as the immediate grievances that often get redirected toward migrants. But many researchers argue the causes are deeper and structural. Loren Landau, a senior migration researcher at the University of the Witwatersrand’s African Centre for Migration and Society, says scapegoating migrants distracts from the real sources of the country’s problems and undermines democracy while endangering both citizens and foreigners. He adds that migrants are too few to be the root cause of unemployment or crime.
The government says it condemns violence against foreign nationals and is working on improving social cohesion and migration management. Foreign Minister Ronald Lamola has warned against civilians taking immigration enforcement into their own hands, saying “it is not the responsibility of civilians to enforce the law” and criticizing calls for people to be told to “go home” as xenophobic. He has also rejected the idea that targeting migrants will solve economic problems, noting that chasing foreigners will not resolve unemployment or broader social and economic issues. Cabinet Minister Khumbudzo Ntshavheni has similarly condemned vigilantism, stressing that non-law-enforcement actors should not demand people’s passports.
At the same time, grassroots movements opposing undocumented migration have grown more prominent. Operation Dudula, which campaigns against illegal migration, has become influential in some communities. Supporters argue that undocumented migration puts pressure on jobs, healthcare and housing; critics warn that the movement risks encouraging xenophobic violence and mob action. Patrick Mokgalusi, a member of Operation Dudula, told reporters the group stepped in because of perceived government failure and called for mass deportations of “illegal foreigners.”
Refugee advocates and human rights groups say some official and unofficial responses risk worsening tensions. Vusumuzi Sibanda, chair of the African Diaspora Global Network, pointed to allegations that police and security forces dispersed vulnerable people seeking protection during unrest with rubber bullets, and said such measures can inflame rather than calm situations.
Former president Thabo Mbeki has also rejected blaming migrants for South Africa’s woes, arguing on social media that the country’s political leaders, not undocumented immigrants, bear responsibility for high crime and unemployment. He noted that documented migration coexisted with stronger economic performance and lower crime during his presidency.
For many migrants, fear is now a daily reality. Princess Adjei, a Ghanaian who has lived in South Africa since her teens, described the situation as escalating and said “it feels like a war now,” adding that foreigners do not feel safe and that tensions could lead to deaths. Moses Chanda, a Zambian entrepreneur in Johannesburg, said xenophobic violence often begins with rumours and misinformation—claims that migrants are taking jobs or running illegal enterprises can quickly lead to looting and attacks.
Not all South Africans accept a narrative that the country is defined by xenophobia. Residents in many areas continue to live and work alongside migrants, and some emphasize that poverty and frustration, rather than hostility to outsiders, drive much of the unrest. “The real issue is poverty and frustration, not ordinary South Africans hating foreigners,” said Johannesburg resident Nomsa Dlamini.
Observers say South Africa now faces growing pressure to strike a balance between legitimate migration concerns, constitutional protections and regional solidarity. Advocates stress that any response must protect vulnerable people while addressing the socioeconomic grievances that fuel scapegoating. As one migrant put it: “We are Africans too. We came here to work and build lives, not to take anything away from anyone.”