MEDIA ALERT
To: All Media
Issued by: Masifundise Development Trust
Date: 26 June 2026
Subject: Masifundise says NO to Xenophobia and Afrophobia
In recent months, xenophobic and afrophobic actions have surged across the country, threatening and dehumanising foreign nationals who call this nation home. This is not a moment we can afford to look away from because what is happening is not happening in isolation. It is happening in the open, in a nation built through struggle and now watching forces of division gain ground within its own borders. As our Constitution turns 30 years old, a document that promises dignity, equality and belonging to all people, we are confronted by a painful irony: the freedoms so many fought for are being undermined from within.
Masifundise vehemently condemns the recent rise in xenophobic rhetoric, violence, intimidation and discrimination directed at foreign nationals in South Africa. We also recognise that multiple attacks, exclusionary practices and discriminatory narratives witnessed in South Africa disproportionately target African foreign nationals. This form of discrimination, often described as Afrophobia, undermines the value of equality, dignity and human rights that are enshrined in our Constitution and threatens the Ubuntu necessary for building inclusive and resilient communities. We therefore condemn all forms of violence and actions that undermine the dignity, safety and rights of people living within our communities.
We recognise the different socio-economic issues experienced by many South Africans as communities continue to face poverty, inequality, unemployment, crime and limited economic opportunities. These challenges are deeply felt in many of the coastal and inland communities where Masifundise works. However, targeting foreign nationals does not address the root causes of these hardships. Instead, it risks deepening divisions and weakening the social fabric that communities rely on to overcome shared struggles.
As an organisation committed to human rights and social justice, Masifundise believes that sustainable solutions require solidarity, meaningful participation, accountable governance and decisive action to address the structural and systemic causes of poverty and inequality.
Masifundise calls on all movement leaders to immediately stop using xenophobia and Afrophobia as tools to advance political agendas. Scapegoating vulnerable communities for political gain is not leadership, it is dangerous, irresponsible, and unconstitutional. This is a moment for collective action. Every person residing in South Africa deserves to be safe, and it is the duty of those in power to protect that right, not exploit it.
Lastly, we call on communities, civil society organisations, traditional and political leaders and all spheres of government to reject xenophobia and Afrophobia, and promote Ubuntu while working together to build peaceful, inclusive and just communities where the rights and dignity of all people are respected and protected. Our futures are interconnected and only through unity, solidarity and collective action can we build the equitable and democratic society envisioned in our Constitution.
For further queries contact:
Nobathembu Ndzengu- Media Officer
0785934230
Trishé Farmer- Media and Communications intern
0680487686
Jordan Volmink- Project Co-ordinator
0791455281
Carmen Mannarino- Director
0712833179