SAHRC Calls For Calm As Attacks On Foreign Nationals Flare In KwaZulu-Natal

The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) has called for calm and respect for the rule of law after reports and video footage emerged of violent attacks apparently targeting foreign nationals.

In a media statement issued on Wednesday, 20 May 2026, the Commission said it was “deeply alarmed” by the incidents, which it warned threaten South Africa’s constitutional values of ubuntu, dignity, equality and the rule of law, as well as social cohesion.

“The Commission reaffirm that members of the public may raise grievances and protest, but such actions must remain peaceful and lawful. Violence, intimidation, hate speech, looting, and property destruction are unacceptable and constitute serious human-rights violations and criminal conduct,” the SAHRC said.

The Commission called on relevant government departments and the Minister of Police to intervene swiftly to address the violence affecting KwaZulu-Natal and to take preventive measures in other provinces. Victims of violence should not take the law into their own hands but report incidents to the authorities, it said.

The SAHRC stressed that criminal acts allegedly committed by some non-nationals, as reported on social media, should not be used to inflame tensions.

It said anyone with knowledge of a criminal act, whether committed by a South African or a non-national, should report it to the South African Police Service for investigation.

“Taking the law into one’s own hands (vigilantism) may lead to attacks on people, exacerbate disharmony, and defeat the ends of justice,” the Commission warned.

It urged community leaders, civil society actors and residents to reject violence and promote dialogue, tolerance and the rule of law.

Challenges such as porous borders, high unemployment, illegal migration and criminal activities, including hijacked buildings, human trafficking and gender-based violence and femicide, should be raised with the relevant government departments, the SAHRC said.

“Non-nationals, like South Africans, have a duty to abide by the laws and regulations of the country. Anyone alleged to have committed a crime, irrespective of nationality, should be subject to the rule of law, with arrest and trial in a court of law. South Africa’s democracy depends on safeguarding the rights of all who live in our country, regardless of nationality,” the statement read.

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