South Africa is once again facing growing tensions over immigration as anti-migrant protests spread across several parts of the country. Vigilante groups such as March and March and Operation Dudula have intensified campaigns against foreign nationals, demanding that undocumented migrants leave the country by 30 June 2026. While the South African government has not officially endorsed this deadline, the ultimatum has generated fear among migrant communities and contributed to a climate of uncertainty and intimidation.
The situation took a deadly turn in recent days when violence erupted in Mossel Bay in the Western Cape. Approximately 55 shacks were set alight during protests targeting foreign nationals, while the Mozambican government reported that five of its citizens were killed in what it described as xenophobic attacks. South African police have confirmed the deaths of at least two Mozambican nationals and are investigating the incidents. Hundreds of migrants have since fled their homes or sought shelter in places of safety, while others have begun returning to their countries of origin.
The latest violence has reignited an important debate: Is this xenophobia or afrophobia? Xenophobia refers broadly to prejudice, hostility, or discrimination against foreigners. Afrophobia, on the other hand, specifically describes hostility directed at fellow Africans. In South Africa, the majority of those targeted in anti-immigrant campaigns are African migrants from countries such as Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Malawi, Nigeria, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. European, North American, and Asian migrants are rarely subjected to the same levels of public hostility or violence.
Xenophobia in South Africa: A Crisis of Fear, Failure and Frustration
Whatever term is used, the consequences are the same. Families are displaced, livelihoods destroyed, and lives lost. The violence also undermines regional solidarity within Southern Africa, where millions of people have historically crossed borders in search of employment, safety, and better opportunities. As South Africa grapples with genuine socio-economic challenges, the targeting of vulnerable migrants risks deepening divisions rather than addressing the underlying causes of unemployment, poverty, and inequality.
The recent attacks should serve as a reminder that frustration over economic conditions cannot justify vigilantism or violence. Whether described as xenophobia or afrophobia, the growing hostility towards African migrants poses a serious threat to social cohesion, human rights, and regional integration in Southern Africa.
