Xenopobia march in South Africa Photo: Google
Political Economist reports that even after thousands of blacks from other nationalities have left South Africa, crime still persists and the economy in most rural communities have tanked with businesses recording low patronage.
Photo: Google
Despite making a success of their xenophobic angst against black foreigners, South African blacks are yet to get over their hatred against blacks from other African nations.
Political Economist reports that even after thousands of blacks from other nationalities have left South Africa, crime still persists and the economy in most rural communities have tanked with businesses recording low patronage.
Peter Nwanze, a resident of KwaZulu-Natal, who said he had been living in South Africa with valid papers with family ties to South Africa for over 30 years, told Political Economist that Nigerians and other black foreigners still live in fear.
“After thousands of black Africans were forced to leave the country, we expected that the hate speech and hurtful actions against blacks will stop. It did not stop and we are still living in fear. The South Africa police are not helping. I can say that many of their police personnel are good and they treat us with respect, but there are others who show you they don’t like you or want you in their land,” he said with a twinge of sadness.
His story is corroborated by recent developments in which Nigerians and other nationals of black Africa nations are either killed or harassed by South African citizens or their security personnel.
This year alone no fewer than 12 Nigerians had been killed in South Africa. Three Nigerians were reported killed in the month of September thus making rubbish of any claim of safety for black foreigners.
Nigeria’s ambassador-designate to South Africa, Femi Fani-Kayode, confirmed the murder of three Nigerians between Sept. 18 and 21. They were identified as Kenechukwu Christopher Igwemmadu, who was killed in Bloemfontein; Olaniyi Olaleye Olatunde, murdered in Pretoria, and Christian Hillary Nnaemeka, killed in Primrose.
“Nigeria will protect its nationals,” Fani-Kayode had written on the social platform X without giving details of how Nigeria will protect Nigerians.
The Nigerian consulate in South Africa had expressed shock at the recent deaths of the three Nigerians “coming in quick succession”, adding that it raised questions about what “seems to be a pattern of targeting Nigerians in South Africa.”
Death toll of Nigerians in South Africa in recent years had been placed at 105 to 112. Analysts say this is a reflection of crime rate in South Africa which recorded about 23,642 murders in 2025 alone, according to South African Police Service (SAPS) data.
Whereas black South Africans who effected the pursuit of black nationals out of South Africa had hinged their reasons on crime and varnishing jobs, data shows the opposite. Black South Africans are the real criminals in their country.
Data from the Department of Correctional Services (DCS), says foreign nationals make up only about 14% to 16% of the total prison population in South Africa. South African nationals especially blacks make up the remaining 84% to 86%.
