Online campaign fuels xenophobic backlash in South Africa

An online campaign that has circulated widely on social‑media platforms is being linked to the latest wave of xenophobic unrest in South Africa, authorities said on Tuesday. The campaign, which features inflammatory slogans and fabricated stories about crime allegedly committed by foreign nationals, was first detected on a popular messaging app and quickly spread to Facebook, Twitter and TikTok. Police have identified several accounts, some operating under false identities, that posted the material in the weeks preceding the attacks on businesses and residences in Gauteng and KwaZulu‑Natal provinces. The Ministry of Home Affairs confirmed that the content violates the country's hate‑speech legislation and has opened a criminal investigation, while the eSafety Commission is working with platform providers to remove the material and trace the perpetrators.

The surge in anti‑immigrant sentiment follows a pattern of periodic xenophobic outbreaks in South Africa, which have historically been fueled by economic frustration and misinformation. Analysts note that the current digital amplification mirrors previous offline rallies, but the speed and reach of online sharing have heightened the risk of rapid mobilisation. Government officials have urged the public to refrain from sharing unverified claims and have pledged increased monitoring of extremist online activity. As the investigation proceeds, law‑enforcement agencies have warned that individuals involved in disseminating hate‑filled content could face prosecution under the Protection from Harassment Act and related statutes.