Key Takeaways
- Anti‑migrant hostility in South Africa is intensifying, with the March and March movement setting a 30 June deadline for “undocumented” foreigners to leave.
- Violence against migrants is not new; waves of xenophobic attacks have recurred since 2008, yet the state often treats them as isolated incidents.
- Rhetoric that labels people as “illegal” or “undocumented” fuels fear, despite the fact that only actions, not persons, can be illegal.
- President Cyril Ramaphosa has acknowledged migration challenges and pledged five concrete steps, but consistent, honest public messaging is still lacking.
- Surveys show a growing perception that foreigners worsen unemployment, strain services and commit crime, even though data indicate each immigrant worker creates roughly two jobs for citizens.
- Immigrants constitute only about 5 % of South Africa’s population (≈3.1 million), far below global averages and the claims of 15‑30 million “illegal” migrants made by March and March.
- Refugee and asylum‑seeker numbers are modest (≈75 000 refugees, 165 000 asylum seekers) and have been declining since 2015, contrasting sharply with host countries such as Uganda.
- Institutional weaknesses—corruption in the Department of Home Affairs, maladministration of asylum offices, and a market‑like trade in permits—are the core drivers of migration‑related problems, not migrants themselves.
- Upcoming local elections risk amplifying xenophobic scapegoating; anti‑migrant protests appear organised and financed rather than purely spontaneous.
- Short‑term remedies include ending violence, prosecuting perpetrators, improving administrative capacity, and launching fact‑based communication campaigns.
- Long‑term solutions require regional coordination, implementation of the National Action Plan to Combat Racism and Xenophobia, and reform of immigration and labour laws to reflect reality.
World Refugee Day and the March and March Ultimatum
As the world observes World Refugee Day on 20 June, South Africa faces a stark counterpoint: the anti‑migrant group March and March has set a 30 June deadline for “undocumented” foreign nationals to depart the country and for businesses to end their employment. Since April, protests organised by the movement have flared across provinces, resulting in migrant deaths, property destruction, and displacement. The timing—just ten days after World Refugee Day—highlights the growing tension between international humanitarian commitments and domestic xenophobic agitation.
A Recurring Pattern of Xenophobic Violence
Hostility toward African migrants is not a novel phenomenon in South Africa. Since 2008, the country has experienced multiple waves of violence targeting foreigners, which authorities have repeatedly dismissed as isolated incidents rather than evidence of a systemic social problem. This pattern of episodic outrage followed by official reluctance to address root causes has allowed xenophobia to fester, undermining social cohesion and the nation’s reputation as a refuge for those fleeing conflict.
Misleading Terminology and Crisis Framing
The language employed by anti‑migrant actors—referring to “illegals,” “illegal aliens,” “undocumented migrants,” and similar terms—serves to stoke fear and justify violence. Importantly, a person cannot be illegal; only specific actions, such as entering without authorization or overstaying a visa, constitute offences under migration law. By framing migration as a “crisis,” proponents argue for extraordinary, often punitive, measures, obscuring the reality that migration is a normal human pattern for a nation sharing borders with six neighbouring states and requiring sensible, evidence‑based management rather than hysterical crackdowns.
Presidential Acknowledgment and Commitments
President Cyril Ramaphosa has publicly recognised concerns about migration and “illegal migration,” outlining five priorities: cracking down on violations of immigration and labour laws, preventing irregular entry, stamping out corruption within the immigration system, strengthening immigration laws and policies, and improving coordination with other African countries. He also stressed that “illegal immigration is not the cause of all our economic challenges.” While these statements signal a willingness to confront systemic issues, translating them into sustained, honest public communication remains a challenge.
Public Perception vs. Empirical Evidence
Research from the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) reveals that anti‑migrant sentiment is largely driven by perceptions that foreigners exacerbate unemployment, inequality, and pressure on housing, health, and education services, and that they disproportionately commit crime. Surveys such as the Afrobarometer 2025 show that 69 % of South Africans view immigrants’ economic impact negatively, despite evidence indicating each immigrant worker creates roughly two jobs for citizens. Similarly, the 2025 Human Sciences Research Council’s Social Attitudes Survey found only 15 % of adults would welcome all foreigners, while 42 % would welcome none, with hostility especially pronounced among poorer and working‑class adults in Mpumalanga, Gauteng, Limpopo, and KwaZulu‑Natal.
The Reality of Immigrant Numbers
Contrary to the alarming claims of March and March—which allege 15‑30 million “illegal” immigrants and portray South Africans as refugees in their own country—official data paint a far different picture. Statistics South Africa’s 2023 survey recorded 3.1 million immigrants (5.1 % of the total population), encompassing all documentation statuses. The United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs reported a peak of 3.2 million migrants in 2015 (5.6 % of the population), after which the migrant density fell below the global average of 3.6 %, and far beneath the 15.9 % seen in North America and 12.7 % in Europe. Thus, immigration levels in South Africa are modest relative to both regional and global benchmarks.
Refugee and Asylum‑Seeker Context
South Africa hosts approximately 75 000 refugees and 165 000 asylum seekers—numbers that peaked in 2015 and have been declining since. By comparison, Uganda shelters over two million refugees, underscoring that South Africa’s refugee burden is relatively light. Moreover, many citizens fail to distinguish between refugees and migrants, erroneously believing the country shelters a disproportionate share of asylum seekers. The asylum system itself is plagued by dysfunction: a 96 % rejection rate reported by Amnesty International in 2019, multi‑year closures of Refugee Reception Offices, and widespread allegations of corruption and maladministration, leaving over 161 000 asylum seekers awaiting decisions as of May 2026.
Institutional Failure as the Core Problem
The root of South Africa’s migration challenges lies not in migrant behaviour but in weak and corrupt institutions. The Special Investigating Unit’s February finding that “the immigration system has been treated as a marketplace,” with permits and visas sold through corrupt officials and external actors, exemplifies this malaise. Home Affairs’ obstructive practices—such as presuming fraudulent asylum claims and delaying access—exacerbate frustrations and fuel public mistrust. Addressing these internal deficiencies is essential before any external enforcement measures can be effective.
Political Exploitation and Organised Mobilisation
Xenophobic rhetoric has become a staple in party political campaigns, likely to intensify as the November local elections approach. Elections create incentives for politicians to project strength and control while either staying silent about or benefitting from anti‑migrant sentiments. The scale and sophistication of recent protests—featuring organised transport, digital campaigns, branded materials, and coordinated messaging—suggest they are not spontaneous eruptions of public frustration but rather resourced mobilisations. Questions about who finances and coordinates these actions remain critical to understanding the phenomenon’s persistence.
Recommended Actions: Short‑ and Long‑Term
In the immediate term, the government must halt violence against foreigners by arresting and prosecuting attackers, improve administrative capacity within Home Affairs, eradicate corruption, and launch a fact‑based communication campaign to counter dangerous narratives. Over the longer term, South Africa should coordinate with neighbouring states to manage regional migration pressures, fully implement its National Action Plan to Combat Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance, and reform immigration and labour laws—and their enforcement—to reflect current realities. Only through honest messaging, institutional integrity, and regional cooperation can the nation turn the tide on xenophobia and uphold its constitutional commitment to equality and dignity for all.