The UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination has expressed grave concern over a surge in xenophobic hate crimes against migrants in South Africa since early 2026, including killings, forced displacement and unlawful home raids.

The committee noted on Aug. 27 with deep concern that at least four migrants had been unlawfully killed and at least 50,000 migrants had been displaced by civilians and organised vigilante groups.

It highlighted reports of abductions, looting, destruction of migrants' property and businesses, unlawful evictions by landlords, and restrictions on access to essential services, including healthcare and education, stressing that these abuses were "in violation of their human rights protected under the Convention."

Underlining the widespread use of racist hate speech and the dissemination of negative and harmful stereotypes against migrants, refugees and asylum seekers by civic movements.

These include the Insizwa Nobunsizwa Development Foundation and March and March movement, particularly on the Internet and social media, the committee noting that such rhetoric "fosters stigmatization and intolerance and creates an environment of fear and insecurity for migrants."

It further raised concerns over the lack of effective measures to address the root causes of recurring discrimination and hate crimes against migrants, including persistent socio-economic inequalities that are a legacy of the apartheid era, as well as delays in the issuance and renewal of migrants' identity documents and visas.

The UN committee known as CERD also pointed to reports of inadequate action by law enforcement agencies to prevent and respond to racist hate crimes and violence against migrants.

The committee was further concerned about the persistence of ethnic profiling and ethnically motivated excessive use of force by law enforcement officials.

It noted that discriminatory and hate crimes continued to be underreported because of mistrust of law enforcement, fear of reprisals and harassment, and limited awareness of rights and complaint mechanisms.

The committee welcomed President Cyril Ramaphosa's statement of June 7 condemning vigilantism, xenophobia, hate crimes and violence against migrants and warning against scapegoating migrants for South Africa's socio-economic challenges.

It, however, urged South African authorities to step up their efforts and to address the root causes of discrimination and hate speech against migrants.