Thuthukile Zuma has strongly condemned rising anti-immigrant sentiment in South Africa, describing xenophobia as a divisive force that benefits those who seek to keep African communities divided.
Taking to social media platform X, Zuma expressed her frustration and concern over growing tensions surrounding migration as the country approaches a highly debated June 30 migration deadline. Using a chess analogy, she suggested that ordinary South Africans may be unknowingly advancing the interests of powerful groups by directing their anger toward fellow Africans rather than addressing deeper economic and social challenges.
“I absolutely abhor xenophobia. Our oppressors and we are now engaged in a game of chess, and it seems like we have reached checkmate,” Zuma wrote. She also used the expression “Yerrrrrr andigowi,” a phrase conveying shock, disbelief, and frustration at the current state of affairs.
Zuma’s comments reinforce her long-standing advocacy for Pan-African unity and her criticism of divisions among African people. According to her view, hostility toward foreign nationals distracts attention from broader issues such as poverty, unemployment, inequality, and the concentration of wealth in the hands of a small minority.
Her remarks come amid heightened public debate over immigration, border control, and the enforcement of immigration laws. Communities across South Africa continue to grapple with competing views on migration, with some calling for stricter enforcement while others warn against actions that could fuel discrimination and social unrest.
The debate has exposed deep ideological differences within South African society. While some political figures emphasize law enforcement and immigration compliance, others advocate stronger regional cooperation and African solidarity.
As discussions intensify ahead of key migration-related deadlines, Zuma’s intervention has added another voice to the national conversation, urging South Africans to focus on unity rather than division and to address the root causes of the country’s socio-economic challenges.
Her comments have since generated widespread discussion across social media, reflecting the continuing sensitivity of the immigration debate in South Africa.