EFF leader Julius Malema condemned xenophobic attacks on African nationals at a May Day rally on 1 May 2026, challenging South Africans who blame immigrants for unemployment as violence against foreign nationals continued in multiple provinces. The Nigerian Consulate in Johannesburg confirmed the deaths of two Nigerian citizens, identified as Amaramiro Emmanuel and Ekpenyong Andrew, in the ongoing violence.
The attacks, directed at Nigerians, Ghanaians, Zimbabweans and other African nationals, prompted international condemnation and calls for the South African government to act.
Footage of violence against shop owners and foreign nationals circulated widely on social media in the days preceding and following Workers’ Day, drawing responses from African governments, civil society organisations and the continent’s human rights bodies.
What Malema said
Malema addressed the attacks directly in his May Day speech, challenging the argument that immigrants are responsible for South Africa’s unemployment crisis.
“You say Zimbabweans take your job, Nigerians take your jobs and you march and close shops and beat up people, tell us after doing all this, how many jobs have you created,” he said.
He also rejected the political appeal of anti-immigrant sentiment.
“I don’t want votes that say to me, I must hate Africans for you to vote for me,” he told the crowd.
The speech came days after the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights issued a press release deploring the xenophobic attacks and the vigilante conduct directed at nationals of other African countries in South Africa.
International reaction and repatriation concerns
The Nigerian Consulate’s confirmation of two deaths added diplomatic pressure on both South African authorities and the bilateral relationship between the two countries.
A number of Nigerians in South Africa have signalled interest in joining a repatriation flight, as reported by Sahara Reporters on 2 May. Malawians in South Africa have also been urged to remain vigilant.
SAPS has warned of a crackdown on violence targeting foreign nationals. The African Commission’s statement and the Nigerian Consulate’s confirmation of fatalities mean that the South African government faces sustained regional pressure to contain the violence and hold perpetrators accountable.
With diplomatic communications escalating and a repatriation request emerging, the next development in this story will likely come from the Department of International Relations and Cooperation or a formal government response to the Nigerian Consulate’s statement.
