The FW de Klerk Foundation views the ongoing escalation of xenophobic violence, intimidation, and the scapegoating of foreign nationals in South Africa with profound alarm. We write this to state clearly: such acts are not merely “community grievances” they are a direct, violent, and unacceptable affront to the foundational values of our 1996 constitutional settlement.

Our Constitution was forged from the ashes of a fractured, exclusionary past precisely to ensure that South Africa would never again be a society defined by hatred, arbitrary exclusion, or the dehumanization of the “other.” When individuals or groups take the law into their own hands to harass, loot, or terrorize people based on their nationality, they do not act in defence of sovereignty; they act in destruction of the Rule of Law.

The Foundation asserts the following: 

The Rule of Law is Indivisible: A nation that permits vigilante justice against migrants is a nation that has abandoned the security of its own citizens. When the state fails to maintain law and order, it creates a vacuum that is inevitably filled by demagoguery and mob violence. The state has the sole, exclusive, and constitutional authority to manage its borders and enforce migration laws. Any attempt by private actors or political movements to usurp this authority is not “patriotism” – it is an assault on the state’s monopoly on the use of force, without which no citizen – local or foreign – is safe.

Scapegoating is a Failure of Governance: We recognize that legitimate concerns exist regarding the management of undocumented migration and the strain on public services. However, channelling the frustrations of service delivery failures into hatred against vulnerable foreign nationals is a dishonest and dangerous form of political theatre. It is a diversionary tactic used by those who lack the administrative competence to govern effectively. It is far easier to incite a mob against a shopkeeper than it is to build the hospitals, schools, and infrastructure that this country desperately requires.

A Betrayal of Our Values: We are a society founded on human dignity, equality, and freedom. These rights are not reserved for citizens; they are inherent to every human being within our borders. By engaging in or tolerating xenophobia, we are systematically dismantling the very moral architecture that was meant to protect us all from the ravages of discrimination.

The FW de Klerk Foundation demands that law enforcement agencies act with absolute resolve to prosecute those who incite or perpetrate violence against foreign nationals. Silence and hesitation from the executive only embolden the perpetrators and signal that the Constitution is, at best, optional.

We call upon all political leaders, civil society, and the public to reject the siren song of xenophobic populism. We cannot build a prosperous and secure future by emulating the worst instincts of our past. True strength lies in adhering to the Constitution, not in persecuting the vulnerable.

Issued by the FW de Klerk Foundation.