SIHMA

Researching Human Migration across Africa

Loading, please wait...

04 Nov

The Scapegoat Syndrome: Immigration, Inequality, and the Governance Gap

Liberal democracies have endured a series of cascading crises over recent decades from 9/11 and the financial crash to the pandemic, climate pressures, and geopolitical fragmentation. These crises have challenged their ability to govern in an increasingly complex world. In this climate of insecurity, immigration has become a potent scapegoat, symbolizing frustrations tied to economic strain, cultural change, and the perceived failures of globalization. Politicians and online movements exploit this narrative by portraying migrants as invaders and positioning strongmen as the only solution. However, mounting evidence shows that the real causes of social strain lie in deeper structural issues such as inequality, under-investment in services, digital disruption, and fragile institutions. Countries with robust migration governance, such as Australia, demonstrate that trust and stability stem from honest and competent management of change, rather than exclusion (Alan Gamlen, 2025).

 

The Global Trend of Scapegoating Migrants

Across North Africa, refugees and migrants are vilified as convenient scapegoats for enduring governance failures. High unemployment, deteriorating public services, and entrenched corruption have prompted political elites to shift blame to displaced populations, distracting from internal accountability. European border externalization policies exacerbate this by channelling resources to regimes promising tighter controls while entrenching authoritarianism and xenophobia. This creates an illusion of security but worsens human suffering and overlooks root causes like conflict, poverty, and political breakdown. By scapegoating migrants, governments risk fuelling deeper instability and ignoring systemic dysfunctions that drive displacement (Hafed Al-Ghwell, 2025).

 

South Africa’s Post-Apartheid Migration Dynamics and Xenophobia

South Africa exemplifies how immigration becomes scapegoated amid social and economic stress. Since 1994, rising migrant inflows have coincided with widespread xenophobic attitudes, often erupting in violence targeting African and Asian migrants. Large parts of the population perceive migrants as threats to jobs, services, and community resources. State responses have entrenched these perceptions through denial and scapegoating, dismissing xenophobic violence as criminal while blaming migrants. Operations like 2015’s Operation Fiela and operation dudula have militarized responses rather than address causes. This approach intensifies xenophobia, limits migrant protections, and undermines recognition of migration’s benefits despite commitments under the UN Global Compact for Migration (Jonathan Crush, 2022).

Post-apartheid South Africa, despite its founding democratic and human rights ideals, struggles with persistent xenophobia fuelled by socio-economic frustrations, identity ambiguities, and exclusionary citizenship policies. Political leaders use populist rhetoric to construct migrants as dangerous outsiders, dramatizing immigration control as a crisis, and scapegoating migrants for social issues. These tactics legitimize xenophobic attitudes, embed anti-immigrant discourse politically, and undermine democratic principles, Pan-African solidarity, and human rights commitments (Johannes Machinya, 2022).

 

The Reality Behind Anti-Immigrant Narratives

Research from the Institute for Security Studies shows that anti-immigrant narratives in South Africa are socially and politically constructed rather than evidence based. Foreign-born people comprise about 6.5% of the population, and immigrant students only ~4% of university enrolments, dispelling myths of being "overrun." Immigrants positively contribute to the economy estimated at ~9% of GDP and often create jobs for locals. Crime statistics contradict popular beliefs: undocumented foreigners make up about 2.3% of inmates and are less likely to be convicted of serious offenses but are disproportionately targeted by police. The report attributes economic hardship and xenophobic violence to poor governance, corruption, and political rhetoric rather than migration, urging data-driven public debate and responsible political speech (Anthony Kaziboni, 2022).

 

Migration Governance and Politicization in South Africa

Moyo and Zanker’s study highlights how South Africa’s once-progressive refugee policies have been eroded by securitized, dysfunctional governance. The immigration system favours “skilled” migrants, leaving most in precarious legal status described as “administrative violence.” Politicians exploit governance failures high unemployment, service inadequacies to scapegoat migrants, amplifying xenophobic narratives and justifying stricter border controls like mass deportations. These measures do little to solve underlying structural problems; instead, they blur distinctions between refugees and economic migrants, inflate bureaucratic backlogs, and securitize rhetoric. Nonetheless, local examples like Musina show that inclusive leadership and policy can foster more fact-based responses (Khangelani Moyo & Franzisca Zanker, 2020).

 

The challenges faced by liberal democracies in managing immigration illuminate a broader governance crisis. Across regions from Australia to North Africa and South Africa, scapegoating migrants serves as a politically convenient distraction from deeper structural maladies such as inequality, corruption, and weak institutions. Evidence consistently contradicts popular myths about migrants driving social strain, revealing their positive contributions and the failings of governance systems. Overcoming xenophobia and rebuilding trust requires honest, competent management of migration, inclusive policies, better data, and political leadership committed to addressing root causes rather than exploiting fear. Ultimately, managing migration with integrity strengthens democracy and social cohesion rather than undermining it (Alan Gamlen, 2025).

References

Alan Gamlen. (2025, September 23). The perfect storm: Why immigration has become the scapegoat for our age of crisis. Retrieved from 360: https://360info.org/the-perfect-storm-why-immigration-has-become-the-scapegoat-for-our-age-of-crisis/

Anthony Kaziboni. (2022, september 12). Scapegoating in South Africa - Busting the myths about immigrants. Retrieved from Institute for Security Studies: https://issafrica.org/research/southern-africa-report/scapegoating-in-south-africa-busting-the-myths-about-immigrants

Hafed Al-Ghwell. (2025, January 18). Refugee scapegoating is North Africa’s troubling ‘new’ trend. Retrieved from Arab News: https://www.arabnews.com/node/2586941

Johannes Machinya. (2022). Migration and Politics in South Africa: Mainstreaming Anti-Immigrant Populist Discourse. Retrieved from SciElo: https://www.scielo.org.za/scielo.php?pid=S2410-79722022000100005&script=sci_arttext

Jonathan Crush. (2022). Xenophobia Denialism and the Global Compact for Migration in South Africa. Retrieved from OpenEditor Journals: https://journals.openedition.org/poldev/4824

Khangelani Moyo & Franzisca Zanker. (2020, December ). Political Contestations within South African Migration Governance. Retrieved from arnold bergstraesser institute: https://www.arnold-bergstraesser.de/sites/default/files/political_contestations_within_south_african_migration_governance_moyo_and_zanker.pdf

 

 

Categories:
Tags:

Post Categories

Posts by Tags