A growing anti-immigrant movement in South Africa is spreading deliberate misinformation about foreign nationals, deflecting attention from governance failures while stoking xenophobic violence in a nation still grappling with post-apartheid economic inequality.
The organization March and March has emerged as a prominent voice in campaigns targeting both documented and undocumented migrants, frequently broadcasting claims on major news platforms that experts characterize as factually false and inflammatory. Recent examples include grossly misrepresenting the crimes of convicted Rwandan genocide participant Fulgence Kayishema, who was portrayed in misleading broadcasts as having personally killed 2,000 people while roaming South Africa—when in fact he ordered attacks as a police inspector during the 1994 Rwandan genocide and has been in custody since 2023.
The pattern of disinformation reflects a broader political strategy that casts migrants as scapegoats for South Africa's persistent challenges: high unemployment, inadequate public services, corruption, and economic stagnation. While legitimate questions exist about border management and immigration policy, activists warn that March and March's rhetoric crosses into dangerous territory by dehumanizing foreign nationals and implicitly encouraging violence.
South Africa has experienced periodic waves of xenophobic attacks since the 2008 violence that killed more than 60 people and displaced thousands. Subsequent outbreaks in 2015 and 2019 followed similar patterns: economic frustration erupting into mob violence against foreign-owned shops and informal settlements housing migrants from Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Nigeria, and other African nations. The attacks often target people who are visibly foreign or speak with accents, regardless of legal status.
Refugee advocacy organizations emphasize that undocumented migrants deserve due process through legal channels rather than vigilante justice. The Scalabrini Centre and Lawyers for Human Rights have documented cases where South Africans have attacked foreign nationals based on rumors later proven false, highlighting how misinformation directly translates to physical violence.
Yet the movement's growth also reflects genuine governance failures that create fertile ground for scapegoating. South Africa's unemployment rate exceeds 30 percent, with youth unemployment even higher. Border management remains chaotic, with corruption enabling unauthorized crossings while legitimate asylum seekers face bureaucratic barriers. Public services in townships and informal settlements—where most migrants and South Africans alike struggle to survive—are often inadequate or nonexistent.
March and March rarely addresses these systemic issues, focusing instead on sensational claims about migrant criminality and resource consumption. When government corruption scandals dominate headlines—whether state capture investigations, infrastructure failures, or political party financing controversies—the organization typically remains silent, suggesting its primary function is deflection rather than accountability.
The spread of anti-immigrant narratives through mainstream media platforms represents a particular challenge for South Africa's vibrant but often uncritical press. Broadcasters seeking audience engagement sometimes amplify dramatic claims without adequate fact-checking, giving organizations like March and March reach far beyond their actual membership base.
Historical context matters here. In South Africa, as across post-conflict societies, the journey from apartheid to true equality requires generations—and constant vigilance. The apartheid regime's own propaganda relied heavily on dehumanizing "the other"—whether Black South Africans, neighboring states, or liberation movements. The current xenophobic rhetoric echoes those tactics, directing anger downward toward vulnerable populations rather than upward toward power structures that perpetuate inequality.
Immigration policy deserves serious debate in any democracy. South Africa faces legitimate questions about border security, asylum processing capacity, and balancing humanitarian obligations with domestic economic pressures. But that debate cannot be conducted honestly when built on a foundation of lies about migrants who "killed thousands" or fictitious claims about resource consumption.
Civil society organizations are fighting back against the disinformation, documenting false claims and educating communities about the actual contributions migrants make to South Africa's economy and society. Yet they face an uphill battle against emotionally resonant narratives that offer simple explanations for complex problems—and villains to blame when governance fails to deliver the prosperity democracy promised.
