Condemnation has failed. To stop attacks on foreigners, Africa must use history, economic pressure, and the law.
BY- Egungwu Chukwuka Benjamin
Writing or discussing xenophobic attacks in South Africa requires caution and intelligence. If not handled carefully, especially on social media, it can easily escalate the conflict. Many videos and posts shared online often lack deep understanding or proper explanation of what is really happening.
Xenophobia in South Africa is not a new issue. Even before 1994, foreigners and immigrants already faced discrimination and attacks. This was mainly linked to competition for scarce economic opportunities. Some locals saw foreign workers, both legal and illegal, as a threat that takes jobs away from citizens. There was also market competition between foreign and local businesses, as well as complaints about foreigners building romantic relationships with local women.
Although locals appear divided, with some strongly condemning the attacks, there are two other groups. One group bases its actions on illegal immigrants and foreigners who are allegedly involved in social problems in the country. The other group consists of individuals who, either through misunderstanding, lack of education, or deliberately, change the narrative into an attack on every black foreigner in South Africa, whether legal or illegal.
In 2019, for example, some Nigerians took retaliatory action against South African owned businesses in Nigeria. This was in response to xenophobic attacks carried out by some groups of locals in places like Johannesburg and Pretoria.
Recent videos circulating on social media, which show South Africans engaging in these cruel acts, have raised serious concerns about the real causes of hatred toward different foreign nationals in the country, especially black Africans, and how to end or reduce such violence.
The recent attacks have led to the killing of unarmed foreigners for no just reason. One video that stayed with me the most showed members of Operation Dudula and the March and March Movement taking their protest to schools. They verbally attacked foreign children and their parents at the school gates. To me, this displays a lack of education, immaturity, and a narrow mindset. We also saw videos of them summoning Chinese, Indian, Pakistani, and other non black business owners to sack all their black African staff or face attacks themselves.
This situation made me reflect deeply on the purpose of the African Union (AU). From its very name, it is clear that the AU was founded to unite African countries. It was established as an umbrella body for 55 African nations with the goal of promoting Pan Africanism. Yet, despite this responsibility, it has not been able to bring a lasting solution to reduce or end xenophobia in South Africa.
There is no doubt that xenophobia blocks integration and the promotion of peace, security, and unity across Africa. This raises an important question: Does the African Union actually lack the power to sanction or call to order any member country that threatens its core purpose? The European Union (EU) seems to have achieved its goals better than the AU. The EU has sanctioned or fined members like Hungary and Poland over anti migrant policies in the past. In Africa, however, responses are remainly diplomatic because the AU appears to lack strong enforcement power.
The African Union often feels like a landlords and tenants meeting. Members come together to talk and vote, but each country eventually goes back home to do whatever it wants. I keep asking myself: Even if other members are not taking this issue seriously, maybe because South Africa is one of the major funders of the Union alongside Nigeria, Morocco, Egypt, and Algeria, can the remaining big four countries do more than just condemn? Could they consider targeted sanctions? This might be a more effective way to address the widespread acts carried out by some South Africans, especially when their government does not seem to be taking the matter seriously enough.
Condemning wrongdoing is normal. But when a child in a family repeatedly harms his or her siblings, parents must move beyond mere condemnation to proper sanctions or punishment.
It appears that every country, especially the other big four, is comfortable with the situation. They may be protecting their own interests such as alliances and trade, or they fear taking action that could invite external involvement. It seems they are all guilty of the same charges, believing that no nation is perfect, or simply not ready to be challenged themselves.
International organisations and world leaders have, as usual, issued statements of condemnation. The United Nations, the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, the Ghanaian government, and the Nigerian government have all spoken out. Nigeria advised its citizens to stay away from protest gatherings, avoid crowded public spaces, and recently withdrew from a catchball tournament that was to be held in South Africa due to safety concerns. In my view, the response and statements from the South African government appear dismissive and show some reluctance to act decisively.
Violence or mob attacks on black foreigners is not the legal or acceptable way to maintain law and order in any nation. What we are seeing is pure lawlessness, a clear display of hatred and jealousy. If a foreigner is not properly documented or engages in illegal activities, as some claim, the government knows the right approach to take. Attacking them is like noticing a problem (cancer) in one part of the body and, instead of going to a doctor for proper diagnosis/test and treatment, the victim panicks and and decides to cut off or harm the entire body with bare hands with the hope of stopping the spread. The real problem is crime and illegal activity, not foreigners as a whole. Some foreigners are involved in crime, just as some locals are. The government’s duty is to examine each case carefully and deal only with the guilty ones. You do not punish every person in the country just to stop a few criminals. Not all black immigrants are involved in illegal businesses or activities.
The truth is that words alone will not stop xenophobia. To achieve real peace, we must take real actions. Here are three suggestions:
First, the South African government should teach its people more about their own history. I believe many young South Africans do not fully know how the country became free. Schools should teach about the African National Congress (ANC) and how it led the fight against apartheid. They should also cover the important contributions made by other African nations. This will help people understand that African foreigners are not enemies. All cases must be handled with proper investigation and fairness.
Second, if the attacks do not stop and the government fails to act, other African countries should take lawful action against major South African businesses such as MTN, Shoprite, and MultiChoice that earn a lot of money across Africa. This should not be done through looting or violence, but through proper sanctions. These measures should be coordinated through the African Union. When money is at risk, leaders tend to act faster. Sanctions should be used carefully to help restore peace.
Third, the South African government must hold people accountable by arresting and prosecuting those who start or lead the attacks. This includes groups that go to schools to scare children, those who force business owners to fire foreign workers, and anyone who kills foreigners during protests. When instigators are punished, others will be discouraged from breaking the law and will follow due process instead. If foreigners who commit crimes are arrested, then locals who carry out mob attacks must also be arrested and charged. If this is not done equally, people will lose trust in the law.
Foreigners living in South Africa should also obey the country’s rules and avoid any social vices that could trigger tension or attacks. If any foreigner commits a crime, the law should take its course through the courts, not through mob violence.
With these steps, I believe peace will come when we respect one another. We need to apply economic pressure when necessary and punish those who use violence. It is easy to say “this is bad,” but doing real justice is harder. Finally, it is only through justice and accountability that we can reduce these problems.
NB: This article was originally published on Champion Newspaper, Lagos, April 29th , 2026
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