South Africa, Xenophobia and the Crisis of the Post-Apartheid State: What Are the Implications for the Pan-African Project?

The recent anti-migrant mobilizations in South Africa raise a fundamental question that goes far beyond migration itself.
How has a country whose liberation was made possible through the solidarity and support of many African nations reached a point where African migrants have become the primary targets of xenophobic violence?
In this new Policy Brief, I examine this crisis through several analytical lenses:
🔹 the historical role played by African states in the struggle against apartheid;
🔹 the diplomatic legacy of Nelson Mandela and Thabo Mbeki in promoting peace, conflict prevention, and mediation across the continent;
🔹 the structural causes of unemployment, crime, and socio-economic inequality in South Africa;
🔹 the limitations of public policies implemented since the end of apartheid;
🔹 the political construction of anti-immigration narratives and their parallels with broader populist dynamics observed internationally;
🔹 the implications of this crisis for the Pan-African project and continental solidarity.
The purpose of this analysis is neither to stigmatize South Africa nor to underestimate the complex challenges the country faces. Rather, it seeks to critically examine public governance, political dynamics, and institutional responses to a crisis that has important implications for Africa as a whole.
Beyond the South African case, this Policy Brief invites a broader reflection on the relationships between governance, security, migration, historical memory, and African integration.
I look forward to your comments, insights, and constructive feedback to enrich this important discussion.
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