Advocate of the High Court of Kenya and Tanganyika, Professor PLO Lumumba, has criticised rising hostility towards African migrants in South Africa, warning that vigilantism, violence, and anti-foreigner rhetoric threaten African unity.
He argued that migrants contribute to the South African economy and urged authorities to take firm action against those behind attacks.
Speaking during a Radio Generation interview on Monday, Lumumba highlighted that he had written to South African President Cyril Ramaphosa after reports of vigilante groups targeting foreign nationals.
“When this issue arose, I wrote a letter to President Cyril Ramaphosa, and my argument was that South Africa is the anchor economy. Mister President, don't allow vigilantism to be what defines how you deal with illegality. It is true that every country wants to document all visitors who are in their country, but you don't allow half-naked individuals to be running around the streets of Durban or Johannesburg, moving from shop to shop, trying to determine who is documented or who is not documented,” he explained.
Lumumba noted how he was concerned by what he described as an atmosphere of fear created by anti-foreigner campaigns.
“You cannot be in a position where you are telling everybody to go. Some of you are saying documented, some of you are saying all must go, and you are creating an environment where you instil fear in everybody. You are looting shops, and none of the leading politicians are speaking firmly against it,” he highlighted.
The Senior Counsel's remarks come amid South Africa experiencing recurring waves of xenophobic violence since the end of apartheid in 1994, with major outbreaks recorded in 2008, 2015, and 2019.
The unrest has largely been driven by high unemployment, poverty, inequality, and perceptions that foreign nationals compete with locals for jobs, housing and business opportunities.
In recent years, South Africa has stepped up efforts to manage immigration through tighter visa controls, enhanced border security measures, and crackdowns on undocumented migrants.
The government has also unveiled a series of reforms aimed at modernising the immigration system and tackling illegal migration.
These include the rollout of biometric digital identity cards, the creation of specialised immigration courts, implementation of an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) system, strengthened oversight by the Border Management Authority, and revised visa and asylum policies.
Authorities say the changes are designed to improve migration management, curb fraud, strengthen border security, and address concerns over undocumented migration.
The tensions have strained relations with several African countries, threatened regional integration efforts, discouraged investment and tourism, and raised concerns about the safety of African migrants living and working in South Africa.
Moving further, Lumumba rejected claims that African migrants were responsible for unemployment, arguing instead that many had become entrepreneurs and employers.
“They claim that fellow Africans are taking away jobs from them, a complete lie. Fellow Africans are creating jobs for them. If you've gone to South Africa, you'll see individuals from Somalia, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Ghana, and Kenya creating jobs where there were no opportunities. They saw opportunities and created them,” Lumumba noted.
The veteran lawyer further argued that the issue should not be described as xenophobia.
“Permit me to say this very painfully. Black South Africans are suffering from what is called the Stockholm syndrome. They love their tormentors, who are white. That is why it is not even xenophobia. A friend of mine corrected me, it is Afrophobia. It is Africans that they do not want,” he explained.
Recalling the support many African countries provided to South Africans during the struggle against apartheid, Lumumba stated that the current hostility was particularly troubling.
“We must remember that during the struggle against apartheid, thousands of South Africans were in exile in Mozambique, Tanzania, Zambia, and Kenya. As we speak, nearly one million South Africans live outside South Africa,” he explained.
He concluded by urging authorities to prosecute those behind attacks and intimidation campaigns.
“At their moment of hate, we should show them love. Then they will know that they are in the wrong. I hope to see the leaders of these gangs arrested and prosecuted. It is only then that I will know the South African administration is serious about this issue.”