Several African governments, including Kenya, Malawi, Lesotho and Zimbabwe, have issued warnings urging their citizens in South Africa to remain vigilant following a surge in anti migrant protests and violence targeting foreign nationals.
The warnings come as tensions over immigration continue to intensify in South Africa, where growing public frustration over unemployment, economic hardship and pressure on public services has fuelled demonstrations against undocumented migrants.
Ghana has gone a step further, formally lobbying the African Union to intervene amid concerns about escalating xenophobic attacks and regional instability linked to the issue.
South Africa has experienced periodic outbreaks of anti migrant violence for more than a decade, but recent incidents have once again placed the issue at the centre of political and social debate. Rights groups argue that migrants are increasingly being scapegoated for the country’s deep economic challenges, including unemployment rates that remain above 30 percent and disproportionately affect Black South Africans.
The situation gained further attention after videos circulated online appearing to show foreign nationals being harassed and questioned over their immigration status by groups of civilians. One widely shared clip showed a Ghanaian man being confronted by a crowd demanding to inspect his documents before telling him he was not welcome in the country.
The Ghanaian government confirmed this week that it had assisted in the safe return of one of its citizens who had been targeted in an incident that gained traction online. Meanwhile, Nigeria said it was repatriating at least 130 citizens following the deaths of two Nigerians in South Africa.
Regional leaders have also begun weighing in diplomatically. Daniel Chapo, president of Mozambique, met with Cyril Ramaphosa this week and called for calm amid mounting regional concern.
Much of the recent mobilisation against migrants has been associated with Operation Dudula, a vigilante style movement that has campaigned aggressively against undocumented foreigners. The group has previously been accused of intimidating migrants and at times blocking them from accessing public healthcare facilities.
The South African government has condemned acts of violence while simultaneously acknowledging public frustrations over illegal immigration. In a cabinet statement released on Thursday, authorities said citizens have the right to protest but warned that violence and intimidation would not be tolerated.
According to data from Stats SA, South Africa’s immigrant population has steadily increased over the past few decades, rising from around two percent of the population in 1996 to approximately four percent in 2022. Most migrants originate from countries within the Southern African Development Community region.
The renewed tensions highlight a broader challenge facing South Africa as economic pressures, migration patterns and political rhetoric increasingly collide in one of the continent’s most unequal societies.
