Xenophobia in South Africa has become an alarming and tragic reality. Time and again, we’ve witnessed brutal attacks on foreign nationals — mainly African migrants — in the streets, markets, and townships of South Africa. While the violence is often portrayed as spontaneous or community-driven, the truth runs much deeper. South African citizens are being manipulated — not informed — by their political leaders, who are weaponizing xenophobia to hide their failures and gain votes.
Instead of tackling issues like unemployment, poor service delivery, housing shortages, and systemic corruption, some South African politicians have found a convenient scapegoat: the foreigner. Rather than addressing the root causes of economic inequality, they redirect public frustration toward African migrants, painting them as threats, criminals, and job thieves.
This strategy is not only dishonest — it’s dangerous. It fosters hate, divides communities, and betrays the spirit of Ubuntu and Pan-Africanism. South Africa, once a symbol of liberation and solidarity, is now turning its back on the very African brothers and sisters who once supported its fight against apartheid.
But the story doesn’t end there.
South Africa’s government hasn’t just failed within its borders — it has actively contributed to the destabilization of several African nations. Through political alliances and economic interests, South African leadership has propped up dictatorships and undemocratic regimes in countries like the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Zimbabwe, and others.
In the DRC, for example, South African diplomacy has often turned a blind eye to electoral fraud and human rights abuses, choosing instead to protect its business and mining interests. While Congolese people suffer under poor governance and flee to find safety or opportunity, South African officials shake hands with the very politicians who created those conditions.
This hypocrisy is profound. On one hand, the South African government supports corrupt regimes abroad that generate migrants and refugees. On the other hand, it punishes those same migrants when they arrive seeking safety and dignity.
Moreover, many South African elites and corporations are directly tied to business interests in these destabilized nations. From mining to telecommunications, South African companies extract resources and profits, often with little accountability or reinvestment in local development. This creates a vicious cycle: political support for repression abroad, economic exploitation, and then scapegoating the resulting victims at home.
Xenophobia is not just a problem of hatred — it is a political tool. And until South Africans realize how their anger is being manipulated, true social justice and continental unity will remain out of reach.
Africa must rise together. We cannot allow artificial borders, old colonial mentalities, and political games to divide us. The destiny of our continent lies in unity, not fear. The solution is not to attack the foreigner next door — the solution is to demand better from our leaders, both in South Africa and across Africa. (from:Jbeliyo fils Tres Haut)