Analysts say growing frustration at the community level is fueling tensions and could lead to widespread unrest if left unresolved.
According to experts and politicians, undocumented migrants are a ticking time bomb for the government, which is pointing fingers at the ANC for allowing it to happen and continuing to ignore it.
It emerged as a loose citizens' movement that gained momentum to address the problem after decades of a laissez-faire approach by the then ANC-led government, which dismissed the population's reactions as mere xenophobia.
unrest and stress
violent protests After the explosion in Kugompo, Eastern Cape Unauthorized coronation of a Nigerian traditional leader Without the consent of the Amharhabe Empire.
This sparked nationwide outrage and traditional leaders also joined the demonstrations. More anti-illegal immigrant marches are planned.
Political analyst Lesiba Tefo says it is a time-bomb “and it has been like that for quite some time. It just needs a little trigger – a spark to burn down the whole country”.
Security concerns and growing fear
He expressed concern that many migrants, instead of living peacefully with local people, reportedly arm themselves to resist any efforts remove them.
Tefo cited Somalis involved in a shootout with local taxi operators in Gkeberha in October 2021 and the recent arrest of an Ethiopian national with a rocket launcher in Johannesburg.
Buhle Ndoda, researcher, academic and co-founder of the GiveHope Foundation, said: “undocumented migrant They are people who have entered or stayed in SA without proper legal documentation, which is against the law.
“This should not be confused with asylum seekers, who may have legal protection under international law but are often considered part of the same conversation.”
Pressure on services and communities
Ndoda said the continued influx of undocumented people creates what researchers call “surplus population,” meaning groups of people the state doesn't know about and can't provide resources to.
This puts pressure on jobs, social services and opportunities and has a direct impact on local people.
“To understand the real impacts, we need to listen to the experiences of people on the ground. How are communities feeling the pressure? Where do they see gaps in services and support?”
“Listening to these voices helps us clearly understand the challenge and keeps the conversation grounded in reality rather than political rhetoric,” Ndoda said.
Teffo said the situation in SA was precarious, with migrants dominating the locals.
In places like Johannesburg and Pretoria, foreigners have declared certain “no-go” areas for locals because they consider them their territory.
He also blamed “so-called human rights organizations” for fighting to allow illegal immigrants to remain in South Africa.
“They say the Constitution says the land belongs to all of us who live on it. That phrase has come back to haunt us and they use it successfully in court.”
Political criticism and calls for action
Teffo criticized President Cyril Ramaphosa for remaining silent on the issue of illegal immigrants and claimed that his silence legitimizes the problem.
“Instead of condemning the actions of illegal aliens, especially when they commit crimes, our President prefers to condemn natives when they express their concerns.
Tefoe said, “Unlike other countries that implement the directives of the Geneva Convention, South Africa is very romantic and idealistic in terms of migration. It was very excited by the excitement of independence; it let everyone come to the country.”
Movement for African Change MP Vuyolaweth Zungula said people were feeling like taking the law into their own hands because the government was failing to do its job to manage migration.
He described the situation as “a ticking time bomb that could spin out of control”.
“When citizens correctly raise issues related to immigrants and anarchyIt is very easy for the government to call it xenophobia to silence citizens. If you are labeling people as xenophobic for raising genuine concerns, it means that you, as the government, are not listening to those people and you are misdiagnosing the problem,” Zungula said.
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