South Africans and migrants: study tracks the barriers to being good neighbours

Pedestrians walk past a banner during an anti-xenophobia demonstration in Yeoville Market, Johannesburg in June 2026. Photo by EMMANUEL CROSET / AFP via Getty Images South Africans and migrants: study tracks the barriers to being good neighbours Published: September 24, 2026 9:59am EDT https://theconversation.com/south-africans-and-migrants-study-tracks-the-barriers-to-being-good-neighbours-292191 https://theconversation.com/south-africans-and-migrants-study-tracks-the-barriers-to-being-good-neighbours-292191 Link copied Share article Share article

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South Africa has made strides in integrating immigrants into local communities . The country is home to an estimated 2.4 million to 3.1 million foreign-born residents. This represents roughly 4% to 5.1% of the total population.

Acceptance of immigrants as neighbours in the neighbourhoods where they live and work is, however, not a given. Suspicion and tensions between locals and immigrants remain common. Evidence of this was the sharp surge in xenophobic violence and anti-immigrant protests in mid-2026.