Online threats and insults fuel South Africa's anti-foreigner sentiment
via Punch Nigeria3 min read
Inflammatory social media posts, including images of men with machetes and derogatory terms for foreigners, are intensifying anti-immigrant sentiment in South Africa. This is occurring amidst an unofficial demand for undocumented immigrants to leave the country by June 30. Thousands of foreign nationals from Ghana, Mozambique, Nigeria, and Malawi have already left. The ultimatum, which lacks legal basis, has gained traction through protests, threats, and a social media campaign that analysts say has been developing for years. Activist Tino Maclean noted the traumatizing effect of online threats, while experts from Murmur Intelligence found that a small number of active accounts and networks are disproportionately generating anti-immigrant content. This content includes videos with captions like "June 30, I can't wait" and images of the date with bullet holes. Disinformation, such as falsely presented attack videos and AI-generated government notices, has also been prevalent. Public works minister Dean Macpherson called on police to act against groups inciting violence online. Police spokeswoman Athlenda Mathe confirmed that intelligence officers are monitoring social media. TikTok banned the account of Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma, a prominent figure in the movement, though her other social media accounts remain active. Murmur Intelligence co-founder Kyle Findlay stated that South Africa's "modern xenophobic movement" has been intentionally built over the past six years, fueled by an
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Must ReadThe Nigeria Police Force announced the completion of security deployments to all 2,545 polling units in Ekiti State for the governorship election scheduled for Saturday, June 20, 2026. Commissioner of Police in charge of Election Security, CP Shogule Abayomi, stated that a multi-layered security architecture is in place to ensure a peaceful and credible election. Security personnel and operational assets have been strategically positioned to safeguard voters, electoral officials, observers, and materials. The deployment also covers critical infrastructure, entry/exit routes, and border communities. Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Disu, assured the public that deployed officers are briefed on their responsibilities and rules of engagement, emphasizing professionalism and impartiality. Abayomi warned against electoral offenses and urged eligible voters to participate peacefully, while cautioning against spreading unverified information. An emergency line, 0800623355577, has been provided for reporting security concerns. Thirteen political parties are expected to participate in the election.
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