South Africa Faces Scrutiny Over Attacks on Migrants
Tensions are high in South Africa as anti-migrant groups have been carrying out attacks and organizing demonstrations against those they suspect of being undocumented. With claims stating the deaths of foreign nationals at the hands of xenophobic violence, the country is receiving international backlash.
Since the end of Apartheid in 1994, immigration to South Africa has increased due to its middle-income status and relatively stable democratic government. This has triggered anti-immigrant sentiment and vigilante organizations and movements, and an uptick of demonstrations against foreigners since May.
In response, the South African government is urging its nationals to steer clear of such vigilantism, but is also calling for undocumented immigrants to turn themselves in and voluntarily repatriate to their home countries.
“As part of a unified national effort, we will manage this process in a way that safeguards our sovereignty, strengthens our public institutions and builds a safe, inclusive and prosperous South Africa for all,” said Mmaoloko Kubayi, South Africa’s Minister of Justice.
The Inter-Ministerial Committee on Migration (IMC) in South Africa has reported that 40,000 undocumented immigrants have been arrested since the beginning of 2026, and more than 7,400 arrests have been made in the last month. As the government works to send thousands of Malawian, Ghanaian and Nigerian nationals back to their respective countries, they must also ensure violence is kept out of the equation.
The Mozambican government claimed five of its nationals had been killed as a result of xenophobic mob attacks against 800 Mozambicans in Mossel Bay. Word of these deaths pushed World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus to express his concern and disappointment on X, formerly known as Twitter, calling xenophobia in South Africa a betrayal of the independence the country once fought for.
“Disagreements and grievances must be addressed by the justice system and the rule of law, never through vigilante violence and collective violence,” Ghebreyesus wrote. “South Africa deserves better. Africa deserves better. Stop the hate. Protect the vulnerable. Uphold our shared humanity.”
Race-Based Riots Take Northern Ireland by Storm
Fire, destruction, and hate have plagued Northern Ireland for about a week now as immigrants and people of color have been subjected to race-based pogroms– violent demonstrations that were a xenophobic response to the released video footage of a June 8 knife attack in Belfast.
Masked men took to the streets of Northern Ireland’s capital city to “get foreigners out” by setting homes and vehicles ablaze, pelting police with bricks and going door-to-door to intimidate anyone they deemed unworthy of residence. Small businesses and schools had to close down out of fear for their patrons, students and faculty.
“People are, of course, entitled to their views on immigration and, of course, government policy isn’t perfect, but this hasn’t been a debate or a conversation,” the leader of Ireland’s Social Democratic and Labor Party, Claire Hanna, said. “There has been mob justice and some of the same old same old proposals for a hardened border on the island of Ireland. Political leaders have a duty to lead, not to lean into people’s worst fears and anxieties.”
Following the stabbing, many notable figures, including Elon Musk, took to social media to share messages and images that further fueled and justified anti-migrant sentiment. One of Musk’s posts included the caption, “millions must go,” next to the photo of the stabbing suspect.
As violence ramped up and dozens of people were displaced from their homes, thousands of protesters gathered in Belfast on June 12 for an anti-racist rally, led by United Against Racism (UAR), condemning the riots and xenophobic rhetoric. The demonstration was deemed one of the city’s largest of its kind and featured acts of community solidarity as demonstrators provided meals and helped evacuate frightened residents.
“We urge communities across Northern Ireland to reject right-winged populism at this critical time,” UAR said in a statement posted on Instagram. “In this most difficult time, we must find the strength to stand by each other and protect ourselves from those seeking to profit politically from tragedy.”
