ISSN 2360-7963
Abstract
This study examines the recurring expulsion of African immigrants and xenophobic campaigns in South Africa and analyses their implications for peace, security, and regional stability in Africa. While previous studies have largely explained xenophobia through socio-economic, legal, and political lenses, this paper extends the debate by examining its broader consequences for interstate relations, regional integration, and collective security. Anchored in Regional Security Complex Theory and Human Security Theory, the study adopts a qualitative approach based on an extensive review of contemporary scholarly literature, policy documents, and regional governance frameworks. The findings reveal that recurring anti-immigrant campaigns are driven by the interaction of structural socio-economic inequalities, unemployment, poverty, weak migration governance, political populism, historical legacies of apartheid, media narratives, and public misconceptions about migration. These factors contribute to the scapegoating of African migrants and reinforce exclusionary practices that undermine South Africa's constitutional values and Pan-African commitments. The study further demonstrates that xenophobic violence generates significant regional repercussions, including diplomatic tensions, disruptions to cross-border trade and labour mobility, increased irregular migration, weakened interstate cooperation, and diminished confidence in regional institutions such as the African Union (AU) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC). Although existing regional and international legal and institutional frameworks provide important mechanisms for migration governance and migrant protection, their implementation remains fragmented and largely reactive. The study concludes that addressing xenophobia requires coordinated regional responses that integrate effective migration governance, human rights protection, conflict prevention, socio-economic inclusion, and strengthened institutional cooperation. Such an approach is essential for advancing sustainable peace, regional security, and the objectives of Agenda 2063 and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Keywords: Xenophobia; South Africa; African immigrants; migration governance. Human security, regional security, and regional integration.