SOUTH AFRICA
WAVES OF XENOPHOBIC VIOLENCE
(October 18, 2026)
PRETORIA. South Africa is shaken by frequent waves of xenophobic violence: groups armed with sticks, Molotov cocktails, and machetes roam townships like Soweto, near Johannesburg, searching for foreigners to drive out by force.
***
AT THE HOSPITAL<7h2>
“On a clear morning last October,” report John Eligon and Zimasa Matiwane[1], “Nozie Khoza and her brigade of self-proclaimed patriots stationed themselves at the entrance of a public clinic in Johannesburg, determined to shape South Africa in their own image and likeness.
When the gate opened at 7:30 a.m., the group demanded to check the documents of anyone trying to enter, claiming that access would be granted only to South Africans.”
None of these individuals had the authority to ask documents from patients or to expel non-South Africans, but anybody stopped them.
The fact is that all opinion polls clearly indicate that the majority of South Africa’s 65 million people feel hostility toward the Gastarbeiter coming from many African countries—predominantly Zimbabwe and Malawi, with a strong presence of Mozambicans, Nigerians, and Ghanaians (5 million in total).
Despite the lack of evidence, many blame immigrants for everything that goes wrong: feelings that are also widespread in Europe and the United States, but here the level of confrontation has reached alarming heights.
***
BELONG IN THE STREET
One Saturday in May, the two New York Times reporters tell, about fifty activists from March and March marched down a residential street in Johannesburg: a rumor had spread that Congolese nationals were illegally squatting in a house.
They burst into the building’s courtyard after tearing down the gate and pounded on the door before kicking it in: from a dark hallway, weeping children emerged.
They were the sons of Sandra and Pierre, two Congolese residents who hold valid legal documents and have lived in the country since 2008; Sandra stepped out holding their youngest child, who was only two months old.
Up to that point, the couple had kept a low profile: no loud Congolese music, clothing similar to that worn by locals, and work, work, and more work to support the eight children they had brought into the world over the years.
For hardliners demanding the removal of foreigners, none of this matters: their furniture and other personal belongings were thrown into the street without any regard or mercy.
***
THE XENOPHOBIC GALAXY
There are mainly two movements rallying public discontent and dreaming of the expulsion of non-South Africans: March and March and Operation Dudula. Surrounding them is a vast galaxy of smaller groups with varying orientations.
“In 2025,” writes nigrizia.it[2], “these alleged self-defense groups began blocking migrants suspected of being undocumented from entering public schools and hospitals, often demanding to see their papers.”
Among the motivations fueling these xenophobic actions are:
1.
High unemployment: over 30% of the active population is without work;
2.
Social inequality: where a minority of ultra-rich stands in stark contrast to a majority of desperate people with no prospects;
3.
High crime rates: making urban areas unsafe;
4.
Rampant corruption: within government and local authorities.
Furthermore, ahead of the local elections scheduled for November 4th, several political parties are stoking xenophobia, confident they can capture votes.
***
EXPULSIONS
“The authorities in Pretoria,” concludes nigrizia.it, “also intend to proceed with the deportation of undocumented migrants or asylum seekers whose applications have been definitively rejected.”
Between June and July 2026, nearly 60,000 non-South Africans were deported, while over 160,000 left voluntarily.
Pretoria intends to:
•
A.
Strengthen border surveillance;
•
B.
Open reception centers for refugees near points of entry into the country rather than in urban areas.
So far, appeals for calm launched by President Cyril Ramaphosa have fallen on deaf ears: in reality, pogroms continue to occur, and the government appears neither able nor willing to stop them.
Above all, it seems that post-apartheid South Africa has forgotten the days when neighboring countries sheltered anti-segregation activists to protect them from the violence of the racist police.
PIER LUIGI GIACOMONI
***
NOTES:
[1] J. Eligon and Z. Matiwane, A Mother’s Crusade to Rid South Africa of African Immigrants, nytimes.com, July 21, 2026;
[2] nigrizia.it, Le proteste anti-migranti che si stanno prendendo il Sudafrica, October 12, 2026.
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