Fear, Survival and Uncertainty: Migrants Remain in South Africa Despite Rising Xenophobic Hostility

Reuters

For thousands of migrants and refugees living in South Africa, each new wave of anti-immigrant protests brings renewed fear, uncertainty, and the painful question of whether they still have a future in the country they now call home.

While many foreign nationals fled ahead of the nationwide demonstrations on June 30, countless others chose to remain—not because they felt safe, but because returning to their countries of origin would mean facing persecution, poverty, or having no home at all.

As xenophobic rhetoric intensifies and migrant-owned businesses come under attack, many refugees say they are trapped between an increasingly hostile South Africa and an impossible return to the lives they escaped.

Ethiopian Refugee Chooses to Stay Despite Growing Anti-Immigrant Sentiment

Ethiopian refugee Helana Wolde spent the day of South Africa’s nationwide anti-immigration protests locked inside his home, watching television as thousands of demonstrators marched through cities demanding that foreign nationals leave the country.

Inside their home, Wolde’s wife and their three South African-born children lived through hours of fear and uncertainty as tensions escalated across the country.

Speaking from his small coffee and lentil shop in central Durban, Wolde explained that returning to Ethiopia is simply not an option. He fled his homeland 21 years ago after facing political persecution and says there is nothing left for him there.

“I have no place, no property, no family in Ethiopia,” Wolde said, adding that his brothers had previously been imprisoned.

Although his business escaped looting during the demonstrations, he reopened the following morning hoping that life could gradually return to normal.

Thousands Leave, But Many Migrants Have Nowhere Else to Go

While thousands of immigrants reportedly packed their belongings and left South Africa ahead of the June 30 protests, many others remain because they have nowhere else to seek safety.

Despite growing hostility toward migrants, refugees say staying in South Africa remains their only realistic option after spending years—or even decades—building their lives in the country.

The nationwide protests on Tuesday were largely peaceful overall, but several areas witnessed attacks targeting foreign nationals and widespread looting of migrant-owned businesses.

“We’re all extra-scared,” Wolde admitted, reflecting the anxiety shared by many migrant communities across South Africa.

Protesters Blame Foreign Nationals for South Africa’s Economic Problems

South Africa currently hosts more than 167,000 registered refugees and asylum seekers, according to United Nations figures. While significant, this number remains relatively small compared with several other African nations.

Uganda hosts approximately 1.8 million refugees, Chad around 1.2 million, and Kenya roughly 850,000, according to the UN refugee agency.

Overall, South Africa’s immigrant population is estimated at around three million people—approximately 4% of the country’s total population—remaining relatively modest by international standards.

The protest movement known as “March and March” insists its campaign is directed solely against illegal immigration and rejects accusations of xenophobia.

However, critics argue that groups inspired by the movement frequently target foreign nationals indiscriminately, regardless of their legal status.

In numerous incidents, protesters have demanded that migrants produce identity documents—a practice the South African government has repeatedly stated is unlawful because only police officers are legally authorized to request immigration documentation.

Economic Frustration Fuels Anti-Immigrant Protests

Many South African protesters argue that foreign-owned businesses dominate local communities while citizens struggle with unemployment and economic hardship.

“This economy belongs to our people and it has been hijacked,” movement leader Jacinta Ngobese, a former radio presenter, declared during Tuesday’s demonstrations.

Ngobese has announced plans to organize nationwide marches every Thursday until the movement’s demands—including large-scale deportations of undocumented migrants—are fulfilled.

South Africa continues to face severe economic challenges, with roughly one-third of its workforce unemployed. Public frustration over deteriorating public services and persistently high crime rates has intensified.

However, researchers and economic experts maintain that immigration is not the primary cause of these structural problems.

Migrant Business Owners Defend Their Economic Contribution

Daniel Abide, a 33-year-old Ethiopian entrepreneur, rejected claims that migrants are taking employment opportunities from South Africans.

“Foreigners are not taking jobs from South Africans. We are starting some small jobs here in South Africa. We are paying rent,” Abide said.

“If you want to open a shop, you must open a shop like us.”

Abide has lived in South Africa for ten years and owns two small convenience stores in Clermont Township near Durban.

One of his shops survived the unrest, while the second was broken into and completely emptied by looters during Tuesday night’s violence.

Despite the losses, he remains determined to reopen the damaged store and continue operating his business.

His enterprise also provides employment for one South African worker.

Residents told Reuters that several other businesses targeted in Clermont belonged to migrants from Somalia and Pakistan.

Outside one damaged shop, workers hurried to repair shattered doors before nightfall, fearing another round of looting.

Fear Continues to Damage Local Businesses

For many migrant-owned businesses, the economic impact extends well beyond the physical destruction caused by looting.

Wolde now keeps a laminated folder containing his refugee certificate, tax records, and bank documents readily available to prove his legal status whenever challenged.

He says he is often forced to present these documents two or three times every day—not only to police officers but also to members of the public who question his right to remain in the country.

His shop is located along a busy commercial street populated largely by Ethiopian-owned businesses.

Despite remaining open, customer numbers have fallen dramatically.

“Now business is no good,” Wolde said. “Everybody is scared to come here.”

Despite Years of Xenophobic Violence, Refugees Refuse to Give Up

Wolde says his opinion of South Africa has changed significantly after enduring years of violence directed at foreign nationals.

He survived a shooting in 2008 and later witnessed repeated waves of xenophobic attacks and looting in 2015 and again in 2021.

Yet despite the repeated trauma and the latest surge in anti-immigrant hostility, he has no intention of leaving.

Having rebuilt his life over two decades in South Africa, Wolde believes remaining is still safer than returning to the country he once fled.

“I make business here,” he said. “I don’t know why they’re angry.”

read more 

South Africa Arrests Over 900 During Nationwide Anti-Migrant Protests