The choice before us is stark. Either we allow distrust to deepen, normalising xenophobia as state policy, or we confront it now with courage and clarity.
South Africa is drifting into dangerous territory. The latest GovDem Survey of the Inclusive Society Institute (ISI) has laid bare a truth we can no longer ignore, namely that nearly three-quarters of South Africans say they do not trust immigrants from elsewhere in Africa.
That is not just a number, it is a warning siren. Distrust has become the majority position across every race, gender and generation. It is a national consensus of suspicion, and it is hardening fast.
In 2021, 62.6% of South Africans expressed distrust. By 2023, the figure was 67.7% and now, in 2025, it has surged past 73%. That is a jump of more than 10 percentage points in just four years. Something is shifting and not for the better.
If we continue on this path, fear, scapegoating and populism will dictate our immigration policy, and if that happens, it will not just be migrants who pay the price. Our democracy, our Constitution and our already fragile social cohesion will all be casualties.
Why the GovDem Survey matters
The GovDem…