Xenophobia Surge in South Africa Triggers Fears of Wider Violence Against Foreign Nationals
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South Africa is under a new spotlight after an outburst of instances of discrimination against Black foreigners, especially fellow Africans, as xenophobia against immigrants has been on the rise.
Numerous reports and even videos spreading around social media tell of aggression towards immigrants, calls to get foreigners to “go back and fix their own countries,” and other forms of criticism towards foreigners residing in South Africa.
There were cases where some foreign nationals were victims of assault, while others had their businesses closed down forcefully.
The situation is alarming for many, who believe that such events will likely end up in xenophobic violence being committed against immigrants residing in South Africa.
A video that has been widely spread shows a bunch of South Africans led by a woman who confronted a Ghanaian national about his travel documents’ authenticity.
In the video, the woman criticizes migration trends that have been observed in recent times in the continent and says, “We are fixing this continent. This movement of yours from one country to the next, I suspect, that it no longer works.”
She adds, “This is not something we want to see anymore as African people. We are tired of seeing African migrants moving all over the world, refusing to fix their own country.”
The conflict intensifies with the lady saying, “And now we have made it abundantly clear to you all that we don’t want you here; we want you to solve your own problems in your own nation.”
He asks for justification for his stay in the community, insisting, “You understand that you are a visitor, but when you decided to come into our community to join us and integrate with us… what you have done is wrong.”
The Ghanaian citizen tries to justify his position by saying, “I’m not trying to invade your country, let me tell you; I am not here illegally.”
In response, a South African male in the video questions the validity of his documents, saying, “Look at the date… by law, you cannot be certified as an immigrant.”
Thereafter, the man proceeds to make allegations of tampering with official documents, alleging, “This time, you got the stamp on the street. That’s how you got the stamp.”
Allegations of Violence and Public Outrage
Separate from the confrontation, a disturbing account shared online alleges a fatal incident involving a Zimbabwean woman operating a roadside food stall in Johannesburg.
According to the statement, “A Zimbabwean Woman sold a South African man a plate of beef stew and Sadza (Pap)… After eating her food, the man refused to pay her R35.”
The situation reportedly escalated into violence, with claims that “He brought out a gun and shot her three times in the head and throat. She died on the spot.”
Account, attributed to a social media user identified as Vintage Zachi, further alleges that the suspect left the scene casually, stating, “He walked away like nothing happened and tucked back his pistol behind him.”
Also Read: Ghana Rolls Out Visa-Free Entry for All Africans
Response of the Police and Constitutional Framework
Amid growing unrest, the Police Commissioner of KwaZulu-Natal made an effort to address this problem and discuss the constitutional rights as well as the limitations of civilian efforts.
Specifically, Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi stated, “We need to appreciate the constitution of the republic that allows people to gather… people have the right to just gather without asking for permission.”
Nevertheless, he called for moderation and respect for the law and said, “They cannot just go and threaten foreign nationals in the country, not knowing whether they are documented or not.”
Additionally, the police officer drew attention to the inability of ordinary civilians to check the documents and said, “They don’t have the skills to know whether the paper that the person is holding is legitimate or not.”
He warned about serious consequences and noted, “The sad thing is going to happen one day is that someone’s going to get hurt.”
Moreover, the commissioner mentioned the possibility of mistaken identity and argued, “You cannot just by the look of the face of a person… assume that this is a foreigner.”
Finally, Mkhwanazi noted that, “Their march seems to target those that mostly of African origin.”
Mixed Reaction from Social Media Platforms in Africa
This has elicited heated discussions on social media platforms, where polarized views have arisen.
One X user @BongoIdeasHQ opined, “They’re chasing foreign nationals out of South Africa… Black people fighting each other in Africa is crazy!”
Another X user @BaronXcaper took sides with those who took such an action by saying, “That’s their country, they can do anything.”
There was a call for counter measures, which were stated in this way, “We too can… shut every embassy of South Africa in all African countries,” @BaronXcaper added.
X user @Llyodpeople agreed with the sentiments expressed by saying, “Sort out your own country and live in it… no one will ever consider visiting any other country.”
However, others felt that such sentiments were wrong, with one X user @Kemitt-N stating, “It seems like their brains are working backwards… traveling is also a source of education.”
Another person brought a wider view into consideration by saying, “If you don’t want to be chased away from another country, you should remain in your country and develop it,” X user @save Africa fro slavery concluded.
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Black Man In Suit Walking With Suitcase At Airport Terminal. PHOTO/ Courtesy