South Africa, once a symbol of unity as the "Rainbow Nation," is experiencing a surge of "Afrophobia," with black South Africans targeting illegal migrants from other African countries, blaming them for the nation's high unemployment rate. This escalating civil unrest has led to widespread fear, displacement, and a mass exodus of foreign nationals.
Horrific scenes have emerged across the country, where foreigners are being chased from their homes, assaulted, and threatened. The unrest appears to have been ignited by the "March and March" movement, a new pressure group advocating for stricter border controls and the mass deportation of foreign workers. The group issued an ultimatum demanding that all undocumented migrants leave South Africa by the end of the previous month. This call to action was followed by over 120 demonstrations, with participants chanting "Mabahambe!" (They must go!) and raiding homes and businesses believed to be housing undocumented immigrants. Approximately 600 arrests have been made in connection with these protests.
"South Africans have been replaced by foreigners, increasing unemployment," stated Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma, founder of March and March, who has vowed to continue demonstrations every Thursday until all undocumented individuals are expelled. She emphasized the need for mass deportations within the next six months.
Politicians are facing accusations of failing for decades to secure porous borders, particularly with neighboring Zimbabwe, from which thousands arrive annually, often securing employment while South Africans remain jobless. An estimated five million undocumented migrants reside in South Africa, representing about 12 percent of the adult population.
However, not all political figures share this sentiment. Julius Malema, leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), has condemned "Afrophobia" and voiced support for African migrants, stating he would not push an African child out of school or refuse an African woman medical care in South Africa. Malema advocates for a borderless continent with free movement for all Africans, along with a pan-African parliament, currency, and army.
The current climate has prompted a significant evacuation, with thousands of migrants, primarily from Zimbabwe and Malawi, being transported to emergency government repatriation camps near the Zimbabwean border for deportation. This week alone, approximately 23,000 individuals were moved by bus. Migrants often gather in unsanitary conditions at makeshift meeting points, awaiting transport, with families and children sleeping in the cold.
Migrants are being processed at these camps, with a procedure in place to prevent their re-entry into South Africa for five years. Those registering receive a document stating they have "undertaken to leave the Republic of South Africa voluntarily." Some migrants, like Steve, who fled with his nephew Brightman to Zimbabwe, paid cash to people-smuggling gangs to cross the crocodile-infested Limpopo River or travel by road, bypassing official border posts.
As the mass exodus escalates, there are signs that some South Africans are regaining employment. Businesses, farms, and homeowners are reportedly being forced to hire local workers due to the decreasing availability of undocumented foreign labor. Employers face potential fines and raids if caught employing or hiding foreign workers. Citizens are also encouraged to report neighbors suspected of violating these rules, with an anonymous tip line established to provide information on foreigners' locations, ostensibly to prevent vigilantism.
The situation has dramatically altered the perception of South Africa for many foreign nationals. "We only want to go home safely. This country has become dangerous for foreign Africans," said Cecilia Phirr, a Malawian woman who ran a clothing import business in Johannesburg before being forced to leave with her son, who was born in South Africa but lacks official documentation.
Young people who have lived their entire lives in South Africa, knowing no other home, are also being displaced. Lorraine Ngubeh, 18, who has a baby and passed her school exams with honors, expressed feeling South African and having South African school friends. "We think our life in Zimbabwe will be very hard but we have been chased away by threats because we are foreigners. It is not safe for us to stay," she stated.
