South Africa has long occupied a unique position on the African continent.
As the continent’s most industrialised economy and one of its leading investment destinations, it has attracted generations of migrants seeking employment, education, business opportunities and refuge from conflict. From Zimbabwean farm workers and Malawian miners to Congolese entrepreneurs, Somali traders, Ethiopian merchants and Nigerian professionals, millions have viewed South Africa as a land where opportunity still existed despite persistent economic inequality.
Yet that image is once again being tested.
Thousands of demonstrators recently marched through Johannesburg, Durban and other South African cities demanding stronger government action against undocumented migrants. Organised by citizen-led movements, the protests represent one of the country’s largest anti-immigration mobilisations in recent years.
Organisers insist they are not driven by xenophobia but by demands for stricter immigration enforcement, arguing that illegal migration places unsustainable pressure on jobs, housing, healthcare, education and public safety.
Critics, however, warn that the distinction between immigration enforcement and anti-foreigner sentiment is becoming increasingly blurred.
The debate has reopened one of South Africa’s most uncomfortable national conversations: Is the country still a safe destination for African migrants?
A Familiar Cycle of Violence
For many observers, the latest protests evoke painful memories.
South Africa has experienced repeated outbreaks of xenophobic violence over the past two decades.
Major attacks in 2008 left more than 60 people dead and displaced tens of thousands of migrants. Similar episodes erupted in 2015 following inflammatory public statements and local tensions in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng provinces. Further violence in 2019 targeted foreign-owned businesses in Johannesburg and Pretoria, prompting diplomatic tensions with several African governments.
The victims have overwhelmingly been African nationals from Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Malawi, Nigeria, Somalia, Ethiopia, the Democratic Republic of Congo and elsewhere.
Although government leaders have consistently condemned the attacks, rights groups argue that prosecutions remain limited and that recurring violence reflects deeper structural problems rather than isolated criminal incidents.
Today, while widespread attacks on the scale of previous years have not occurred, many analysts believe intimidation has evolved into subtler but equally damaging forms.
Fear Without Violence
Speaking during Africanews Debates, migration researcher Dr Rebecca Walker argued that fear remains pervasive even when streets appear relatively calm.
She noted that migrants perceived as foreigners often face intimidation, discrimination and exclusion, particularly in informal settlements and economically distressed communities.
According to Walker, vulnerability extends beyond foreign nationals.
South Africans from other provinces who speak different languages or belong to different ethnic communities have at times also found themselves targeted because they are perceived as “outsiders.”
This climate of suspicion, researchers argue, has created an atmosphere in which fear influences daily decisions—from where people shop and work to whether they venture outside after dark.
“I Do Not Feel Safe”
For migrants themselves, the debate is deeply personal.
Eric Kwame Cosmos, a Ghanaian accountant who has lived in South Africa since 2014, says increasing uncertainty has convinced him to prepare for life elsewhere.
“I don’t feel very safe,” he said during the Africanews debate.
After more than a decade building his career, Cosmos says changing public attitudes, concerns over immigration documentation and growing hostility have left him feeling increasingly isolated.
His experience reflects a broader sentiment shared by many migrants who describe limiting their movements, avoiding certain neighbourhoods and living with constant uncertainty over whether anti-immigrant rhetoric might suddenly translate into violence.
For many, fear itself has become part of daily life.
Politics, Identity and the Question of Belonging
Political analyst Jean-Victor Nkolo argues that the migration debate cannot be understood solely through the lens of economics.
Instead, he sees it as rooted in South Africa’s unique political history.
South Africa’s liberation struggle was supported by numerous African countries that hosted exiles, military training camps and diplomatic efforts against apartheid.
Many observers therefore find it deeply ironic that citizens of countries which once sheltered South African freedom fighters now face hostility within democratic South Africa.
Nkolo argues that migration should be viewed through the broader history of African mobility—a continent where borders drawn during colonial rule often separated communities with long-standing cultural, linguistic and economic ties.
The current tensions, he suggests, expose unresolved questions about national identity, citizenship and Pan-African solidarity.
Economic Anxiety Fuels Public Frustration
South Africa’s economic challenges provide fertile ground for anti-migrant narratives.
The country continues to grapple with one of the world’s highest unemployment rates, particularly among young people.
Persistent inequality, slow economic growth, high living costs, housing shortages, rolling electricity disruptions and strained public services have intensified public frustration.
Against this backdrop, migrants frequently become convenient political targets.
Some protest organisers argue that undocumented migrants compete unfairly for employment, operate informal businesses outside regulatory systems or contribute to crime.
These perceptions have gained traction on social media and within some political movements advocating stricter border controls.
However, many economists and migration scholars caution that such claims often oversimplify complex structural problems.
Research has repeatedly shown that unemployment, inequality and crime stem from multiple factors including slow economic growth, inadequate education, governance failures, corruption and weak service delivery.
Several studies have also found limited empirical evidence that migrants are responsible for overall increases in crime or unemployment.
Indeed, many migrants operate small businesses that create employment, expand local markets and contribute to tax revenues through legal economic activity.
The Challenge of Undocumented Migration
This does not mean concerns about migration are entirely unfounded.
South Africa remains one of Africa’s primary destinations for both documented and undocumented migrants.
Its extensive borders, regional economic disparities and humanitarian crises in neighbouring countries have placed considerable pressure on immigration management systems.
Government officials acknowledge that undocumented migration presents genuine administrative, security and humanitarian challenges.
Authorities have pledged to strengthen border management, improve immigration documentation processes and combat human trafficking and organised crime while respecting constitutional protections and international obligations toward refugees and asylum seekers.
The challenge lies in balancing effective law enforcement with the protection of human rights.
The Role of Political Rhetoric
Analysts increasingly warn that political language surrounding migration matters.
When public officials frame migration primarily as a security threat, critics argue that such narratives may unintentionally legitimise hostility toward foreign nationals.
Conversely, failing to acknowledge legitimate public concerns risks creating space for vigilante groups and populist movements to dominate the conversation.
Social media has further complicated the landscape.
Unverified videos, misinformation and inflammatory rhetoric often circulate rapidly during periods of tension, amplifying fear and reinforcing stereotypes about migrants.
Digital platforms have become powerful arenas where public opinion is shaped, often faster than official information can respond.
Human Rights Under Pressure
South Africa’s Constitution remains one of the world’s most progressive, guaranteeing fundamental rights regardless of nationality.
The government has repeatedly condemned attacks against foreign nationals and pledged to uphold the rule of law.
Human rights organisations nevertheless argue that stronger implementation remains essential.
They point to recurring reports of discrimination, intimidation and barriers to accessing documentation, healthcare and legal protection.
Civil society organisations continue to call for improved community dialogue, public education campaigns and more effective policing to prevent violence before it erupts.
A Continental Test
The implications extend well beyond South Africa.
Migration within Africa is expected to increase as populations grow, climate change affects livelihoods, regional integration expands and economic disparities persist.
The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) seeks to deepen economic integration across the continent, while the African Union continues promoting greater mobility among African citizens.
Yet these ambitions collide with growing domestic pressures in several countries where citizens increasingly demand tighter border controls and prioritisation of local employment.
South Africa has therefore become a symbol of a wider continental dilemma.
How can African nations encourage regional integration while addressing legitimate concerns over irregular migration, public services and national security?
Can governments enforce immigration laws without encouraging xenophobia?
Can economic frustrations be addressed without scapegoating vulnerable communities?
An Unfinished Conversation
The question posed by Africanews Debates—”Is South Africa still safe for African migrants?”—has no simple answer.
For many migrants who continue to live, work and build families in South Africa, daily life proceeds without incident.
For others, fear has become a constant companion.
The country stands at a crossroads where competing narratives of security, sovereignty, economic hardship and Pan-African solidarity intersect.
Ultimately, the future of migration in South Africa will depend not only on border policy or law enforcement but also on political leadership, responsible public discourse and a collective commitment to protecting the dignity of every person living within its borders.
As Africa pursues deeper integration in an increasingly interconnected world, South Africa’s response to migration may well become one of the defining tests of the continent’s democratic values and its vision of shared African citizenship.
References and reports
Africanews (Business Africa)
International Organization for Migration (IOM) – South Africa Migration Profile
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) – South Africa Refugee and Asylum Reports
International Labour Organization (ILO) – Labour Migration in Southern Africa
Statistics South Africa (Stats SA)
South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC)
Institute for Security Studies (ISS Africa)
Southern African Migration Programme (SAMP)
African Centre for Migration & Society (ACMS), University of the Witwatersrand
Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC)
Amnesty International reports on xenophobic violence in South Africa
Human Rights Watch reports on migrants and xenophobia
World Bank reports on migration and labour markets in Southern Africa
African Union migration policy frameworks
African Development Bank reports on employment and inequality
Afrobarometer surveys on public attitudes toward migrants
South African Police Service (SAPS) annual crime statistics
