South Africa faces growing unrest as immigrants report escalating threats and violence amid a surge in xenophobic sentiment across major cities. Mobs chanting "Mabahambe," a Zulu phrase meaning "They must go," have marched in Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town, targeting foreign nationals, attacking businesses, and forcing people from their homes. At least one Malawian and several Mozambicans have been killed this year, while thousands of Malawians have fled their homes in Durban, camping in the open during winter and pleading for evacuation. Zimbabweans in Cape Town have gathered outside their consulate, and Nigeria, Ghana and Mozambique have already repatriated citizens who wished to leave. The anti-immigrant movement March and March, led by Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma, a former radio presenter from Durban, has declared June 30 as a deadline for all undocumented immigrants to leave, though no official consequences have been outlined. The group claims the authority to check immigration documents, despite having no legal power to do so. Social media platforms like TikTok are amplifying anti-immigrant rhetoric and spreading misinformation, further inflaming tensions. President Cyril Ramaphosa has condemned violence while acknowledging public frustration over crime, unemployment and strained services, with the official jobless rate exceeding 30% and youth unemployment above 60%. He has pledged to strengthen border controls and crack down on undocumented workers and their employers, but stressed that blaming immigrants ignores deeper issues of inequality and economic stagnation. Migrants like Sithole, who arrived at 22 and considers South Africa his home, say they fear for their safety regardless of legal status. Eighteen-year-old Zimbabwean Sandile Mbuyazi, who holds a resident's permit, says he still feels at risk because the attackers target foreigners regardless of documentation. Ghanaian business owner Kofi David expressed fear over rising online hostility, saying the atmosphere is growing more dangerous by the day.
Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma leads a movement demanding immigrants leave by June 30, yet the state has not arrested or formally challenged her for usurping legal authority. The deadline carries no official weight, but the government's response has focused more on tightening immigration enforcement than confronting the vigilante rhetoric. This shifts accountability away from those inciting violence and onto the very people under threat. When officials echo the language of exclusion while failing to prosecute self-appointed enforcers, it normalizes lawlessness under the guise of nationalism.
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