Abahlali baseMjondolo secretary-general Thapelo Mohapi warns that anti-migrant mobilisation in KwaZulu-Natal is growing and could escalate into broader ethnic violence. Mohapi says the current tensions resemble the political conflicts that affected parts of the province in the late 1980s and early 1990s, when violence along ethnic lines caused widespread disruption. He cautions that mobilisation targeting migrants could spread beyond individual incidents and intensify into more general confrontation between communities.
The warning comes as residents and community organisations express concern about xenophobic attitudes and actions aimed at people from outside South Africa. The report frames the issue as a risk of escalation rather than an immediate declaration of widespread violence, urging attention to developments that could lead to serious harm.
Overall, the account emphasises the potential for rising xenophobia to trigger wider unrest in KwaZulu-Natal and highlights the historical precedent of large-scale ethnic violence in the province.
