A coalition of civil society organisations has expressed concerns over the recent surge in xenophobic violence and hostility targeting African migrants and refugees in South Africa.

In an open letter addressed to President Cyril Ramaphosa, the collective urged the government to decisively step in and strengthen protection for everybody living in South Africa, irrespective of nationality or legal immigration status.

The coalition openly acknowledged that the socioeconomic distress felt by the South African public was deeply rooted.

“… unemployment, inequality, rising living costs, poor service delivery, and deepening uncertainty continue to place immense pressure on communities across the country, particularly on young people.”

Despite these severe pressures, the organisations firmly maintained that foreign nationals must not be turned into scapegoats for the country's historical and structural crises.

“The migrant worker is not responsible for inequality. The refugee child is not responsible for overcrowded schools. The informal trader from another African country is not responsible for corruption, unemployment, or failures in governance and public service delivery,” the organisations stated.

The coalition warned that misdirecting public anger toward vulnerable, displaced communities would not solve core structural issues, and could instead erode social cohesion.

The letter emphasised that the country's actual crisis stemmed from enduring economic exclusion, deep-seated social injustices, and failure to transform the structural landscape for millions of marginalised South Africans.

Furthermore, the coalition pointed out that these existing socioeconomic burdens were being worsened by environmental decay and climate-related disasters. They noted that many underfunded communities bore an unequal share of the damage caused by pollution, crumbling infrastructure, and the environmental fallout of extractive industries.

While these combined environmental and financial stresses fuelled widespread desperation, the organisations urged that they not be weaponised to justify violence or division among vulnerable populations.

The coalition of civil society organisations wants Ramaphosa to show decisive leadership in combatting rising xenophobic violence, hate speech, and systemic economic exclusion. They said reactive policing must be abandoned in favour of long-term socioeconomic reforms.

The coalition pointed out that South Africa’s Constitution was one of the world's most respected democratic frameworks, adding that “this reputation rests entirely on its explicit affirmation of dignity, equality, and human rights for everyone residing within the country's borders, regardless of nationality”.

The coalition emphasised that “scapegoating” foreign nationals obscured the deeper, systemic crises facing vulnerable communities.

Instead of using immigrants as political targets, they urged government to focus on accelerating the rollout of essential services in impoverished areas, expand initiatives specifically targeting youth unemployment and to directly tackle the systemic drivers of exclusion and poverty.

Beyond migration and employment, the organisations highlighted the critical link between corporate accountability, environmental justice, and social peace. They noted that “predatory economic practices” and unchecked environmental harm deepened poverty, sometimes leading to community instability.

The Presidency must use this moment to reinforce constitutional values, enforce the rule of law against incitement, and build an inclusive economy that left no one behind, they ended.

Coalition of civil society organisations

• Greenpeace Africa
• Allen +
• Estahale
• Care for Environment
• Quest for Growth & Development Fund
• ARCCEJ - African Reserach Centre
• Pastoralist Initiative Development
• Gamndane Empowerment NPO
• MJPE
• YONECA Youth Network for climate action
• Carolina Eco Green Economy
• IWED Nigeria
• Rent Control G
• Eco SciGen
• The Nurudeen report
• Groundwork