From Xenophobia to Repatriation: South Africa's Expulsion of Undocumented African Migrants of 2026 and its Global Implications

Abstract

This study examines South Africa's 2026 expulsion of undocumented African migrants, its regional and global implications. Using Securitization Theory and Regional Integration Theory, the paper analyses how undocumented migration has been framed as a national security threat, legitimizing stricter immigration enforcement and mass deportation. The study argues that while South Africa possesses the sovereign right to regulate migration, the securitization of migration has been reinforced by rising unemployment, inequality, crime, weak service delivery, and anti-migrant mobilization led by groups such as Operation Dudula, the March & March Movement, and Insizwa Nobunsizwa. Relying on secondary data from Statistics South Africa, Xenowatch, official documents, journal articles, newspapers, and media reports, the study finds that the expulsions have generated humanitarian concerns, strained diplomatic relations, threatened regional integration, and weakened South Africa's Pan-African credentials. It concludes that immigration enforcement alone cannot address irregular migration and recommends strengthened regional cooperation, evidence-based migration governance, and robust measures to combat xenophobia while safeguarding migrants' rights.