Protests against illegal migrants in South Africa: What’s going on?

South Africa is grappling with a surge in anti-immigrant protests that have turned violent, with five Mozambican nationals reported killed and widespread fear among foreign nationals—both documented and undocumented—across the country. The unrest, led by a group called March in March, stems from deep-seated economic frustrations, including soaring unemployment (around 40%), rising living costs, and a struggling economy linked to global fuel prices and regional conflicts. Protesters blame illegal migration for crime and job loss, but critics argue this scapegoating masks deeper systemic failures. A powerful voice from the episode reframes the issue not as xenophobia but as 'Afro-phobia'—a cultural bias against fellow Africans, particularly from poorer nations. Governments across Africa, including Ghana, Nigeria, and Malawi, have responded by repatriating citizens, while South Africa’s government insists on legal processes over vigilantism, though it acknowledges corruption in immigration systems enables abuse. The episode reveals a crisis not just of migration policy, but of national identity, economic justice, and the dangerous political weaponization of fear ahead of upcoming elections.