'Hike in anti-migrant posts ahead of polls'

A report by the Centre for Analytics and Behavioural Change (CABC) has revealed that there were over 311,000 online posts expressing anti-migrant views in April compared to the previous report with over 12,000 posts in January.

According to the CABC, almost 77% of those posts, about 240,000, were retweets; and this was a high percentage and, based on past studies, the percentage was likely indicative of manipulation.

“Key issues include border control, job opportunities and crime involving immigrants. These issues are being heavily leveraged by politicians and political actors in the lead-up to the national elections.

“Politicians using xenophobic rhetoric for electoral gain highlights the need for responsible discourse and policy interventions to address the underlying challenges.

“Notably, there was discussion about voting preferences, particularly tweets/Xs about not voting ANC because they will give preference and benefits to immigrants again after the elections,” said the report.

The report also said that online discussions often involve criticism of immigrants for taking jobs from South Africans. This includes social media posts and hashtags that call for prioritising economic opportunities for South Africans and questioning the legality of immigrant work permits.

“Relating to a bar fight incident in Stellenbosch where foreign bouncers fought with students. The tweet alleges that many bars in Stellenbosch employ immigrants. Questions were raised online about the legality of their work permits with calls to prioritise economic opportunities for South Africans in job sectors like hospitality and security,” said the report.

According to the report, mass deportation is one of the election campaigns calls of the Patriotic Alliance (PA). One of the trending hashtags noted in the report is, #abahamba, which means “go home”, was mentioned 539 times. 

“It became popular online in January 2024 when Gayton McKenzie and members of the PA patrolled the Beitbridge border, telling Zimbabweans trying to cross into South Africa illegally to 'go home'.”  

“In April 2024, this hashtag was used to talk about Zimbabweans being arrested for crimes and police being violent against Zimbabwean street vendors. This hashtag often appeared together with #putsouthafricansfirst,” read the report. 

PA spokesperson Steve Motale said they are not using the concern of undocumented migrants in the country to garner votes.

“The PA is not using the concern around undocumented migrants to gain votes. Voters themselves are concerned about this problem, which is real, and it's high time that researchers stop trying to sell themselves as saints by siding with illegality in so many forms,” said Motale. 

Motale said they couldn't be told that they should forsake speaking the truth because "people not associated with us will try to blame us for violence, which we have never promoted". "Our demand for mass deportation of all illegal immigrants is also based on credible, solid research backed by realities on the ground that have shown the damage illegal inflict on our country and its citizens,” said Motale.

Motale also said they were not advocating for violence but for the return of law and order including clamping down on illegal immigration and protection of South Africa's borders. "Any country that fails to enforce its laws and cannot protect its borders is a failed state. We are unapoligetic and uncompromising in our demand for mass deportation of all immigrants #Abahambe,” he said.

National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) spokesperson Phakamile Hlubi-Majola said the deepening crisis of unemployment and poverty makes it easy for people to use foreign nationals as a scapegoat.   

“Political parties use undocumented foreign nationals as a scapegoat. Our crisis in South Africa is that we have extremely high levels of unemployment. We know how employers will use foreign nationals against South Africans as they are protected by labour laws and workers' rights, but they will employ them, then underpay them and subject them to completely inhuman conditions,” said Hlubi-Majola.

Hlubi-Majola said employers take advantage of anti-immigration sentiments to benefit financially. “If you are a foreign national and you are here without proper documentation, you will agree to all kinds of shocking and exploitative conditions because you are desperate.

“And the government, specifically the department of employment and labour, has failed in its responsibility to force employers to adhere to the law,” said Hlubi-Majola.