‘They Must Go’: Deadly Xenophobic Wave Shakes Africa, Migrants Flee Violence and Ultimatums
Slogans of “They must go” and “Abahambe” have marked a fresh surge of anti-immigrant violence across South Africa in 2026, leaving migrants dead, homes burned, and thousands displaced or repatriated.
The latest wave intensified from March and peaked around a June 30 unofficial deadline set by activist groups for undocumented foreigners to leave. The unrest has strained relations with neighboring African nations and raised hard questions about the “Rainbow Nation’s” post-apartheid ideals.
They must go: Ultimatum Fuels Fear and Flight
Anti-immigrant groups issued a June 30 deadline for undocumented migrants to depart or face consequences, sparking fear among legal residents and undocumented people alike. Protests in Durban, Johannesburg, Pietermaritzburg, and smaller towns sometimes turned violent, destroying homes and businesses and forcing families into temporary shelters.
Xenowatch, a monitoring project at the University of the Witwatersrand, has documented more than 1,300 xenophobic incidents since 1994, resulting in nearly 700 deaths and more than 120,000 displacements. Most targets are Black African migrants from Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Malawi, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Ghana, and elsewhere.
Economic Despair and the Search for Scapegoats
South Africa’s unemployment rate remains above 30 percent, with youth unemployment far higher. Inequality, corruption, power shortages, deindustrialization, and strained public services have deepened public frustration and made migrants convenient scapegoats for structural problems that predate their arrival.
Immigrants account for only a small share of South Africa’s population. Yet claims that foreigners are taking jobs, overcrowding hospitals and schools, or driving crime continue to circulate despite evidence that does not support those sweeping accusations.
South Africa for South Africans: Who Drives the Campaign?
The campaign is largely grassroots-led. Organizations including Operation Dudula and March and March organize demonstrations, demand documentation, pressure businesses, and seek to restrict migrant access to public services. Several political parties have also amplified anti-migrant rhetoric ahead of local elections.
President Cyril Ramaphosa has insisted that immigration enforcement belongs solely to the state. Rights groups and courts, however, have criticized uneven policing and slow implementation of the country’s plan to combat racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia, and related intolerance.
Echoes of European Right-Wing Populism
Calls to take back the country and prioritize nationals mirror nativist campaigns elsewhere. South Africa’s immigrant share is lower than in many European nations, yet economic stagnation and questions of identity have produced similar forms of scapegoating.
The recurring violence undermines the country’s claims to continental leadership and its philosophy of ubuntu. Major outbreaks in 2008, 2015, 2019, and 2026 show that the crisis is neither isolated nor new.
There Is No Place for Xenophobia
The government has promised tighter border controls, dedicated immigration courts, biometric identity systems, workplace inspections, anti-corruption measures, and regional cooperation. Diplomatic talks followed as neighboring governments sought protection for their citizens.
Critics say enforcement alone is not enough. They are calling for consistent protection of migrants’ access to services, swift action against known agitators, and full implementation of court-ordered plans. Whether economic recovery, effective law enforcement, and genuine social cohesion can reverse the cycle remains a defining test for the post-apartheid state.
South Africa · Xenophobia · Migration · Africa · Human Rights