The United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) has raised grave concerns over a surge in xenophobia and racist hate crimes against migrants in South Africa, warning that killings, forced displacement, unlawful home raids and growing hate speech are creating an increasingly dangerous environment for foreign nationals in the country.
In a decision adopted under its Early Warning and Urgent Action Procedure, the Committee revealed that migrants had been unlawfully killed since the beginning of 2026, while at least 50,000 others had been displaced by civilians and organised vigilante groups.
The UN body also highlighted reports of abductions, looting, destruction of migrant-owned property and businesses, unlawful evictions by landlords and restrictions on access to essential services such as healthcare and education.
The scale of the reported displacement has placed renewed attention on South Africa’s long-running struggle with xenophobia, particularly as economic hardship, unemployment, inequality and pressure on public services continue to fuel tensions between communities.
CERD noted that the abuses against migrants, refugees and asylum seekers were violations of their human rights protected under the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination.
The Committee’s intervention comes as South African authorities face increasing pressure to demonstrate that the country’s constitutional protections against discrimination are being effectively enforced on the ground.
The UN body pointed specifically to the role of organised civic movements and vigilante groups in promoting hostility towards migrants. It cited groups including the Insizwa Nobunsizwa Development Foundation and the March and March movement, which it said had been associated with racist and harmful rhetoric directed at migrants, refugees and asylum seekers, particularly through the internet and social media.
According to CERD, the widespread circulation of negative stereotypes has contributed to an atmosphere in which migrants are increasingly portrayed as responsible for broader social and economic problems.
Such rhetoric, the Committee warned, “fosters stigmatisation and intolerance and creates an environment of fear and insecurity for migrants.”
The concern is particularly significant in a country where migration has become closely intertwined with debates over employment, public services, housing and crime. While authorities have acknowledged the need to enforce immigration laws, the UN has stressed that such enforcement must not become a justification for collective punishment, racial profiling or violence against foreign nationals.
CERD also identified deeper structural factors contributing to recurring discrimination, pointing to persistent socio-economic inequalities rooted in South Africa’s apartheid history.
The Committee argued that the country’s continuing inequalities have created conditions in which migrants can become convenient targets for public frustration, particularly where communities face competition over scarce economic opportunities and overstretched public services.
UN Calls for Stronger Action as South Africa Confronts Migrant Violence
Despite its concerns, the UN Committee acknowledged steps taken by the South African government to condemn xenophobia and vigilantism.
CERD welcomed President Cyril Ramaphosa’s statement condemning vigilantism, xenophobia, hate crimes and violence against migrants. The President also warned against blaming migrants for South Africa’s wider socio-economic difficulties.
However, the Committee indicated that stronger action was required to address both the immediate violence and the structural conditions that allow xenophobic attitudes to persist.
It called on South African government to take decisive measures against organised racist vigilante groups, including preventing their formation and, where necessary, proscribing and dismantling such organisations.
The Committee also urged the government to work with media organisations, internet service providers and social media platforms to combat hate speech and harmful stereotypes circulating online.
The recommendations reflect growing international concern about the role of digital platforms in amplifying inflammatory narratives. Social media can rapidly transform isolated incidents or grievances into nationwide campaigns, allowing misinformation and unverified claims to spread before authorities have an opportunity to establish the facts.
CERD therefore called for stronger measures to prevent online hate speech from translating into violence against vulnerable communities.
South African authorities have themselves acknowledged the risks associated with misinformation and online incitement. In a statement, the government’s Inter-Ministerial Committee on Migration warned that manipulated and old videos and images were being circulated with the intention of fuelling attacks against foreign nationals.
The government added that it had intensified intelligence-led and prosecutorial operations, with about 90 incidents related to public order and incitement registered as criminal cases.
The government also stressed that freedom of expression does not extend to incitement of imminent violence or advocacy of hatred based on race or ethnicity.
Meanwhile, CERD’s recommendations go beyond enforcement, advocating for a more comprehensive protection framework for displaced people. The UN Committee has encouraged South Africa to provide adequate housing and basic services for migrants displaced from their homes. It also advocated for safe and accessible systems that allow victims to report abuses without fear of retaliation.
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