How South Africa’s Myopia Is Harming the Entire Continent

Article excerpt

South Africa's xenophobic violence against migrants threatens to destabilize the entire African continent, according to Foreign Policy's analysis. The country's inward focus and failure to address root causes of anti-migrant sentiment risks spreading regional instability across borders. Waves of attacks on foreign nationals have intensified in recent years, yet South African leadership has largely avoided confronting the structural economic and social factors driving the hostility. The consequences extend far beyond Johannesburg's streets: neighboring nations face refugee surges, trade disruptions, and the erosion of pan-African solidarity that regional integration depends on. Experts warn that without decisive intervention, South Africa's domestic crisis could catalyze a broader continental unraveling.