Fractured Unity: Xenophobia, Racial Backlash, and Identity Politics in South Africa

Abstract

In the past decade, global migration has surged due to economic instability and recession, prompting host nations to react with growing resentment and discrimination toward incoming migrants. In South Africa, this has translated into widespread xenophobic violence, particularly against fellow African nationals. Perceived competition over scarce resources has fueled these tensions, often erupting into attacks. Despite local, regional and international frameworks aimed at curbing xenophobia and racism, enforcement has been ineffective. This study adopts Relative Deprivation Theory to explain how economic frustration and inequality fuel anti-migrant sentiments. Using qualitative methods, data were sourced from journals, reports, and media articles covering the period 2008–2025. Findings show that systemic governance failures and weak accountability mechanisms have intensified prejudice against Black foreign nationals. Notably, recent years have also seen sporadic racial tensions involving attacks on white South Africans, suggesting that South Africa’s race relations are becoming increasingly volatile across multiple fronts. While such incidents differ from xenophobic attacks in origin and scale, they highlight the broader challenge of unresolved racial inequality and political manipulation of identity. To address this, the study recommends holding public officials accountable for incitement or inaction, ensuring police neutrality, and investing in genuine reintegration programs. African nations must also improve local economies to reduce emigration pressures. Should reforms fail, stricter immigration policies guided by realist principles may be justified. Lasting solutions require balancing national interests with human rights imperatives.