Xenophobia in South Africa: A Growing Concern

Afrophobia is causing Black-on-Black violence in South Africa.

Blaming immigrants seems common, especially among politicians after Trump. But I remember the saying from the old days in Nigeria: “No condition is permanent.”

If South Africa needed a wake-up call about the mobs attacking immigrants, the FIFA World Cup in June should have been it. The events showed a big problem.

But South Africa seems blind to this issue. They might see it but do not acknowledge it.

In the last three years, Xenowatch reported that about 50 people have died in xenophobic attacks in South Africa. This number does not include the many displaced, wounded, or those whose businesses were destroyed.

Since June, there have been eight confirmed deaths due to xenophobic violence. Two of them were Nigerians: Bishop Taiwo Michael Fakunle and James Uchechukwu Nwankwo. The Ghanaian News Agency reported that two Ghanaians were also killed between July and August.

Targeting Bafana

What will it take to stop this madness? It has turned one of Africa’s best countries against others on the continent.

During the World Cup, Bafana Bafana faced hostility from African fans. They wanted Bafana to lose, even against weaker teams. What should have united Africa became a platform for more conflict.

Understanding the Issue

This isn’t new. Xenophobic violence started in 1994, the year Nelson Mandela became South Africa’s first Black president after the first multi-racial elections.

These attacks were seen as a negative outcome of years under Apartheid. People thought they would eventually stop, but they haven’t.

After some local incidents in Alexandra Township in 1994, the first major outbreak happened in 2008. Since then, xenophobia has continued to rise.

This ongoing issue is a huge embarrassment for Mandela’s legacy. It is sad that South Africa struggles to accept other Africans living close by. Figures like Julius Malema from the Economic Freedom Fighters have often called out this shameful situation.

It’s hard to believe that nearly 15 years after Mandela's passing, his successors have only shown weak responses while mobs attack immigrants.

Most immigrants in South Africa are from the SADC region. About 25 percent are from other African countries. Only about one percent or 24,718 are Nigerians. The idea that immigrants are stealing jobs needs to be corrected.

Local Issues

I know the challenges that feed xenophobia. A friend of mine, Ferial Haffajee, shared her worries about how Mayfair in Johannesburg changed from a peaceful area to a chaotic place with immigrants who bribe officials, turning the streets into busy markets. That’s painful to see.

The situation is dire. With an unemployment rate of 33.6 percent, politicians are stirring up anger against immigrants.

They blame foreigners for “taking jobs,” stressing healthcare and other services, and causing crime. Nigerians often face accusations of drug dealing and other negative stereotypes during the 2024 elections in South Africa.

The Real Story

The truth is more complicated than politicians admit. UN data shows that of 304 million international migrants globally (3.6 percent of the world’s population), South Africa (with a population of 65 million) had about 2.63 million immigrants by mid-2024.

Most immigrants come from the SADC region, while about 25 percent are from other African countries. Only about one percent or 24,718 are Nigerians. The claim about job theft is misleading.

Black South Africans run the government and make up most of the workforce and consumers. But white South Africans still hold most wealth and power in the private sector. This is despite the black economic empowerment program in place for 32 years.

A 2024 employment equity report revealed that white employees held 61.1 percent of top management roles, while Africans held only 18 percent. The average income of white-headed households was almost five times that of black-African-headed households in 2022/23, according to household income data.

The screens showing the World Cup that the mob ignores are right in front of them, if only they would look up.

The African Union, meant to protect the continent, is powerless. Nigeria’s President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, reporting South Africa to the AU to discuss the issue in January 2027 means little. If the AU has lost its voice, where are the strong African leaders of the past?

Change in Leadership

President Cyril Ramaphosa, known for benefiting from the Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) program, has disappointed many. It wouldn’t be fair to say he incited the xenophobic attacks.

But it seems he avoids taking a strong stance, knowing that his position could put him and other wealthy Blacks at risk from angry mobs.

The African Union is ineffective. Nigeria’s President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, reporting South Africa to the AU for discussion in January 2027 is meaningless. If the AU lacks influence, where are the African leaders we once admired?

Former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo rightly said in a recent interview that African leaders have not done enough to prevent xenophobic violence in South Africa.

When leaders unite, like in São Tomé and Príncipe in 2003 or The Gambia in 2016, they achieve positive outcomes. The end of Apartheid in South Africa showed this clearly, a lesson Obasanjo reminded South Africa about.

Ongoing Issues

Tensions from migration are a part of human life. Even between Nigeria and Ghana, two neighboring countries, the first major deportation of Nigerians occurred in 1969, blaming them for the nation’s problems. Nigeria retaliated 14 years later with the “Ghana-must-go” action against nearly one million Ghanaians, accused of “taking Nigerian jobs.”

Looking back, both nations learned, as Thomas Sowell noted in his book, Migrations and Cultures, that “migrations are not always permanent resettlements.”

“During mass migrations over the past century and a half,” Sowell wrote, “many people continued to return home. It is estimated that from the mid-1830s to the late 1930s, about 30 million people left the Indian subcontinent and nearly 24 million returned.”

No Condition is Permanent

Blaming immigrants seems common, especially among politicians after Trump. But I remember the saying from the old days in Nigeria: “No condition is permanent.”