South Africans’ Tolerance for Migrants Diminishes Significantly

Following these demonstrations, President Cyril Ramaphosa urged citizens to show solidarity with their African neighbors. Meanwhile, foreign governments expressed their concerns, and police attempted to prevent any escalation of violence.

The atmosphere in the nation was tense.

Are the recent instances of anti-immigrant activism indicative of a broader rise in anti-migrant sentiment among South Africans? Recent findings from the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) suggest this could indeed be the case.

The HSRC’s South African Social Attitudes Survey provides valuable insights into the perspectives of ordinary South Africans regarding international migration. This series of surveys has been conducted annually since 2003 and represents a nationally representative cross-section of the population.

The most recent data from the 2025 survey reveal that hostility towards immigrants in South Africa is at its highest since the survey’s inception in 2003. A notable aspect of this shift is the hardening of attitudes towards migrants among poorer and working-class individuals. Additionally, the recent increase in anti-immigrant sentiment is especially prominent in four provinces: Mpumalanga, Gauteng, Limpopo, and KwaZulu-Natal.

The growing hostility is particularly troubling with local government elections scheduled for 4 November 2026. Political parties may exploit anti-immigrant sentiments to secure or retain power, making elections a potential catalyst for xenophobia.

This escalating hostility could lead to xenophobic violence in a country with a long history of such acts, especially considering it hosts over two million international migrants.

Declining Hospitality

Since 2003, the South African Social Attitudes Survey has included the following question:

Please indicate which of the following statements applies to you? I generally welcome to South Africa… (i) All immigrants; (ii) Some immigrants; (iii) No immigrants; and (iv) Uncertain.

In 2003, approximately one-third (34%) of South African adults expressed a willingness to welcome all immigrants. The rest indicated they would accept either none (32%) or some (35%).

Throughout the 2003-2017 period, the percentage of the public willing to welcome foreigners fluctuated within a narrow range.

However, around the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020, research indicated a rise in anti-immigrant sentiment.

In the 2021 survey, about a quarter (26%) said they would welcome all immigrants, which was comparable to figures from the mid-2010s.

This hospitable sentiment further declined in subsequent surveys, dropping to 15% in 2025.

Conversely, the percentage of respondents who adopted a hostile stance (indicating they welcomed no immigrants) increased from 30% in 2021 to 42% in 2025.

Geography and Class

The provinces exhibiting the most significant rise in anti-immigrant sentiment—Mpumalanga, Gauteng, Limpopo, and KwaZulu-Natal—are primary routes for many immigrants who often settle there.

The situation in KwaZulu-Natal has become particularly precarious. The portion of adults in this province asserting they would welcome no immigrants rose from 23% in 2021 to 45% in 2023, and again to 60% in 2025.

The rise in hostility in KwaZulu-Natal may be linked to growing public dissatisfaction with the economic and political landscape. An astounding 88% of residents in the province reported being unhappy with current economic conditions, with the same proportion expecting further decline over the next five years.

Particularly alarming is the notable attitudinal shift among lower-income populations.

South Africa stands as a highly unequal nation, marked by significant economic disparities. Most citizens find themselves on the disadvantaged side of these divides.

Historically, research indicates that anti-immigrant sentiments in the country were not confined to class divisions. However, changes have emerged in the post-COVID-19 era.

Data from the South African Social Attitudes Survey previously showed a consistent relationship between economic hardship and negative sentiment towards immigrants. Yet, as the pandemic restrictions eased and recovery began, hostility towards immigrants surged, especially among lower and lower-middle-class socioeconomic groups.

During the 2025 survey, adults from these groups displayed significantly more animosity towards foreigners compared to those in upper middle and high socioeconomic brackets.

The Drivers

What factors contributed to the increased antagonism of economically disadvantaged individuals towards immigrants over the past five years?

It’s plausible that the poor have increasingly scapegoated foreigners for the failures and inequalities stemming from the post-pandemic economic recovery. Many have suffered from a cost-of-living crisis and ongoing deindustrialisation, and as a result, they seek someone to blame—making immigrants a convenient target.

In recent years, the South African economy has grappled with persistent high unemployment and notoriously high crime rates. These issues, as experts have consistently noted, cannot be directly attributed to the immigrants living in the country, yet they continue to bear the brunt of the blame.

What Should Be Done?

The South African government has established a National Action Plan to Combat Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance.

Launched in March 2019, one of its objectives was to reduce public hostility towards migrants. However, it is evident that due to either insufficient resources or inadequate government coordination, the plan has not achieved its intended outcomes.

The country must revitalize this initiative and its associated processes. A concerted effort is needed from political, civic, and community leaders to address legitimate socioeconomic concerns without letting immigrants serve as scapegoats for deeper systemic failures.

Boosting social cohesion, enhancing economic inclusion, building public trust in governance, and promoting responsible political leadership are also critical.

Effective and well-resourced anti-xenophobia strategies must be urgently implemented to address the escalating crisis. The alternative is to allow hatred to take root.

Steven Gordon, Chief Research Specialist, Human Sciences Research Council

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.