By Hannah Dadzie
Concerns over rising Afrophobia and xenophobia in South Africa have resurfaced at the 2026 Repairing International Development (RID) Conference in Accra, with African scholars and human rights experts calling for urgent government intervention, public education and stronger measures to protect migrants and foreign nationals.
Speaking in an interview on the sidelines of the conference, Executive Chair of the Southern Africa Political Economy Series (SAPES) Trust, Prof. Ibbo Mandaza, described Afrophobia as a dangerous form of self-hatred that threatens social cohesion in South Africa and could fuel broader internal conflicts if left unaddressed.
“Afrophobia is a form of self-hate that any African can go through. It reflects very badly on the South African situation itself, and I’m afraid only South Africans can repair that,” he said.
Prof. Mandaza said while incidents of xenophobia have occurred in other African countries, the South African experience is distinct because it often targets fellow Africans.
“You don’t see it anywhere else in Africa. We do have levels of xenophobia, but not to the extent of Afrophobia. It is hating someone who looks like you,” he stated.
He warned that the phenomenon could eventually escalate into violence among South Africans themselves, citing the 2008 xenophobic attacks in which some South Africans were reportedly mistaken for foreigners and killed.
The veteran political economist argued that the solution lies largely in sustained political and civic education, stressing that Africans should not be viewed as foreigners on the continent.
“There is no such thing as a foreign African. It’s education. Political education,” he said, adding that South African authorities have not done enough over the past three decades since the end of apartheid to address the issue.
Prof. Mandaza also called on South African leaders to take greater responsibility in tackling anti-migrant sentiments, saying the challenge ultimately requires domestic political commitment.
Meanwhile, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Contemporary Forms of Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance, Dr. Ashwini K.P, said the situation in South Africa has attracted international attention and is being discussed within the United Nations system.
She expressed concern about growing vigilantism and hyper-nationalist rhetoric, warning that migrants and foreign nationals have become increasingly vulnerable to attacks and discrimination.
“The government should take necessary steps to ensure protection of those who have been at the receiving end, particularly as vigilantism is at its peak in the name of hyper-nationalism,” she said.
Dr. Ashwini further highlighted the role of misinformation and disinformation on social media, saying false narratives have contributed to hostility against migrants and other vulnerable groups.
According to her, authorities must adopt an immediate precautionary approach to prevent further harm and ensure the safety of affected communities.
She called for a comprehensive national action plan to strengthen the rule of law and prevent individuals from taking matters into their own hands.
“The government should not allow individuals to take the law into their own hands. It is necessary to maintain law and order,” she stressed.
The comments came during discussions at the RID Conference, which has brought together more than 150 participants from Africa, Latin America, Asia and the diaspora to explore ways of repairing international development systems and addressing historical and contemporary forms of injustice.
Participants at the conference emphasized that combating racism, xenophobia and exclusion remains central to building more equitable and inclusive societies across Africa and beyond.
