- Immigrant Times
- Dec 16, 2025
- 4 min read
Updated: 6 days ago
Millions of migrants live and work in South Africa, but xenophobia is on the rise
South Africa remains the primary destination for migration in Africa, with a migrant population estimated between 2.4 million and 4 million people.
By The Immigrant Times
Operation Dudula attempts to block migrants from accessing health care in South Africa, while trade unions and churches warn against rising xenophobia in the country. (Photos: Deutsche Welle and Activate Leadership)
December 2025: South Africa has long been a magnet for migrants from across the African continent. As the continent’s most industrialised economy, it has offered jobs, safety and opportunity to people fleeing conflict, political repression and economic collapse. Yet in recent months, disturbing reports have once again surfaced of migrants in South Africa being harassed, denied access to healthcare and targeted by vigilante-style groups. At the centre of renewed concern is an anti-immigrant campaign known as Operation Dudula, alongside counter-protests and civil society efforts pushing back against xenophobia.
Migration to South Africa is not a recent phenomenon. For more than a century, the country’s mines, farms and cities have depended on labour from neighbouring states. Under apartheid, Black South Africans and foreign workers alike were tightly controlled, yet migrant labour remained central to the economy.
In the post-apartheid era, South Africa became a destination not only for economic migrants but also for refugees and asylum seekers. People arrived hoping that the promises of democracy, constitutional rights and economic opportunity would translate into safety and stability.
South Africa remains the primary destination for migration within the African continent, with a migrant population estimated between 2.4 million and 4 million people. According to the most recent comprehensive data from Statistics South Africa, the official immigrant count stands at approximately 2.4 million, representing 3.9 per cent of the total national population. However, broader estimates that include all foreign-born residents often place the figure closer to 3.95 million, or roughly 6.0 per cent of the population.
The vast majority of these individuals, over 80 per cent, originate from the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region. Zimbabweans constitute the largest single group, with approximately 1.01 million people living in the country, followed by significant populations from Mozambique, Lesotho, and Malawi. Beyond economic migration, South Africa also hosts roughly 250,000 refugees and asylum seekers, primarily from Ethiopia, Somalia, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Geographically, these populations are concentrated in urban economic hubs, with Gauteng and the Western Cape serving as the primary provinces of residence.
While public debate often includes vastly higher figures regarding undocumented migration, official census data and independent research by organisations like Africa Check consistently debunk claims of 10 to 15 million migrants. These organisations clarify that while some individuals remain undocumented, the total number of foreign-born persons in the country has not exceeded the 4 million mark in recent verified counts.
Immigrants are deeply embedded in South Africa’s informal and service economies. They are employed as farm labourers and domestic workers, work on construction sites, provide security services and drive delivery vehicles. Many also run small businesses, including spaza shops (convenience stores) and informal trading operations, particularly in townships and low-income areas.
In many communities, migrant-run shops fill gaps left by larger retailers, offering affordable goods and extended opening hours. Research has repeatedly shown that migrants often create employment rather than take it, hiring South Africans, paying rent and contributing to local economies through taxes and service charges. Despite this, their visibility, especially as successful small entrepreneurs, has made them frequent targets during periods of economic hardship.
Xenophobic violence has flared repeatedly since the end of apartheid, with major outbreaks in 2008, 2015 and 2019, as well as smaller but persistent incidents in subsequent years. These episodes have resulted in deaths, injuries, mass displacement and the destruction of migrant-owned businesses.
Although such violence is often portrayed as spontaneous, analysts point to deeper structural causes. Chronic unemployment, especially among young South Africans, severe inequality, weak local governance and failures in service delivery have all fuelled frustration. Political rhetoric has at times reinforced the perception that migrants are responsible for job losses, crime or pressure on public services, despite a lack of evidence to support these claims.
It is within this climate that Operation Dudula has gained prominence. The movement describes itself as a grassroots campaign against crime and undocumented migration, but critics argue that it has encouraged vigilantism and collective punishment. Migrants report being harassed, threatened or subjected to informal “checks” by activists with no legal authority.
Particularly troubling have been reports of migrants being blocked from clinics or hospitals, sometimes by individuals claiming to enforce immigration law. South Africa’s constitution guarantees access to basic healthcare services, regardless of nationality or legal status. Medical associations and human rights groups warn that denying treatment not only violates constitutional protections but also undermines public health and social cohesion.
Xenophobia in South Africa has never gone unchallenged. Trade unions, churches, immigrant organisations and human rights groups have mobilised to defend migrants’ rights through protests, court actions and public advocacy. Civil society campaigns have sought to counter misinformation and emphasise the shared interests of migrants and citizens.
Many South Africans reject the narrative that migrants are to blame for unemployment or crime, arguing instead that corruption, economic mismanagement and policy failure lie at the root of the country’s social crisis. In some communities, residents have actively protected immigrant neighbours during periods of unrest or spoken out against intimidation.
Further reading: Migrant deaths from Africa to Spain in 2025 || The Sudan refugee crisis || African migrants abused ||
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