Several outlets report that South Africa’s anti-migrant campaigns are increasingly framed in the language of democracy. This includes references to participation, community involvement, and “people’s power,” which supporters use to justify the marginalisation of migrants and, in some cases, exclusionary policies or attitudes. The reporting highlights that these messaging strategies emerge in a context of growing socioeconomic pressure, which can heighten public frustration and make xenophobic narratives more persuasive.
One article notes that organisations behind the campaigns present their stance as aligning with democratic values, even as it results in discriminatory outcomes. Other coverage focuses on the same theme of rhetorical framing, describing it as potentially dangerous because it can normalise hostility toward migrants while claiming legitimacy through democratic principles.
Across the sources, the common thread is that hardship and insecurity provide conditions under which groups mobilise political language to advance anti-migrant agendas. The reporting does not attribute the campaigns to a single group, but it consistently links the rhetoric to a broader pattern of exclusion.
