South Africans are not xenophobic; we’re just tired of being played

South Africans aren’t driven by hatred of foreigners; they’re driven by exhaustion. Exhaustion with corruption, with exploitation, and with government officials and civil servants who sell South Africa to illegal immigrants through bribery. Then, when citizens protest, those same people are the first to scream “xenophobia”.

 Every few months, South Africans are told they hate foreigners. It’s an accusation repeated by NGOs, echoed in international media, and wielded like a stick to silence legitimate frustration. But the truth is simpler: South Africans are not xenophobic. They are tired, tired of being betrayed by their government, tired of seeing their country disrespected, and tired of being told that demanding law and order is hate speech.

 The anger in our streets is not born from prejudice but from decay. Years of corruption at the Department of Home Affairs have turned passports, visas, and IDs into products for sale. Border posts have become tollgates for bribes. Instead of being arrested, the same corrupt officials and civil servants who sell this country’s sovereignty are the first to cry “xenophobia” when people demand justice.

 I come from Mafikeng, a town that has always been a crossroads of cultures. My childhood neighbour was from Zimbabwe, my teacher from Sri Lanka, and my childhood crush, a Damara girl from Namibia. We coexisted in harmony because there was mutual respect. South Africans have never been allergic to accents or surnames; they have always embraced diversity when it is accompanied by respect.

 But what we see today is not respect; it’s disregard. Pavements and public spaces have turned into lawless trading zones. Health regulations, municipal bylaws, and hygiene standards are ignored. Illegal businesses operate freely, while local traders drown under compliance costs. Communities that dare to complain are lectured about tolerance instead of being protected by law. South Africans are not angry at immigrants; they are angry at disorder.

Illegal immigration has become a national crisis, not because people cross borders, but because the government allows it. Criminal syndicates smuggle drugs, cars, and people across porous borders, protected by corrupt officials. Employers exploit undocumented labour to cut costs, while honest citizens sit unemployed.

 “South Africans are not hostile to foreigners; we are hostile to lawlessness.”

 Government must stop pretending. Home Affairs must be cleansed of corruption. Border management must be efficient and incorruptible. Municipalities must reclaim streets and enforce bylaws. The police must dismantle the criminal networks that flourish in the shadows of weak enforcement.

 And to our foreign brothers and sisters who are here legally, you are welcome, but respect this land. Respect our culture, our communities, our hygiene, and our traditions. If you sell goods, keep your space clean. If you live here, live by our laws. Ubuntu is not a licence for disorder; it is a call for shared dignity.

South Africans, too, must act responsibly. Burning shops or attacking people is not patriotism; it is self-destruction. Our energy must go toward fixing systems, not feeding chaos. We must pressure the government to act, expose corruption, and unite around restoring order.

Our history of solidarity across Africa should not be forgotten. From Zambia to Tanzania, our brothers and sisters sheltered our freedom fighters. But solidarity is not silence. True friendship is rooted in accountability, the understanding that hospitality must never be abused.

Law-abiding immigrants must also raise their voices against those who exploit or tarnish their image. Silence in the face of criminality only breeds resentment and division.

“Hospitality does not mean lawlessness, and tolerance is not a substitute for enforcement.”

 South Africans have never rejected people from elsewhere; in fact, we have celebrated many who came, contributed, and respected the people who hosted them. From Oskido, born in Bulawayo, who helped define kwaito; DJ Fresh from Botswana, who built his name through hard work and respect; Peter Ndoro, the Zimbabwean broadcaster who became a trusted voice in South African homes; to HHP, whose Mozambican family roots never dimmed his pride in Mafikeng, these are Africans who integrated without arrogance.

 Add to that Moky Makura and Yewande Omotoso from Nigeria, who found their purpose here without claiming superiority; Morena Leraba from Lesotho and Gazza from Namibia, who fused their roots with ours; and Zani Challe from Malawi, who embraced our sound and culture. One thing about all these personalities is that they respected South Africans, our culture, our people, and our traditions. They never saw themselves as better than South Africans, never labelled locals as “lazy”, never called for the expulsion of white South Africans, and never interfered in our political life.

They came to share, to build, and to belong, proving that mutual respect, not entitlement, is what makes coexistence thrive.

In the final analysis, South Africans demand order, dignity, and fairness for everyone who calls this land home. Because without respect, there can be no peace. And without law, there can be no nation.  So, the next time someone lazily shouts “xenophobia”, ask them who benefits from a country without rules. The answer, as always, is the same: those who profit while the poor fight for scraps. By Mothusi Shupinyane, Mo Media Chairman.