Multiple outlets report that xenophobia in South Africa is being driven by widely circulated myths about migrants and refugees. Both sources point to narratives that misrepresent the country’s socio-economic conditions and distort facts about South Africa’s immigration and refugee legal frameworks. The reporting credits these misconceptions with helping xenophobia spread and persist, suggesting that incorrect claims about migrants’ impact on jobs, services, and public life are repeatedly circulated in ways that are not corrected with accurate information.
One outlet attributes the analysis to a piece by Aimée-Noël Mbiyozo for ISS Today, describing how anti-migrant stories have “been allowed to fester.” The focus is on the role of public narratives—rather than on specific incidents—arguing that misunderstanding and misinformation about immigration and refugee policies contribute to hostility toward non-citizens.
The two articles are aligned in their core message: rising xenophobia is connected to misinformation and selective storytelling about migration, refugees, and South Africa’s economic challenges.
