Zulu King Misuzulu calls for calm amid rising tensions between locals and foreigners

Zulu King Misuzulu kaZwelithini has called for calm following simmering tensions between South Africans and foreign nationals that have left many locals feeling disrespected. The king, through his spokesperson, issued a statement urging calm and stated that he is aware of the tensions and the disrespect South Africans feel.

He said he is working with the government to address the source of the tension.

Tensions flared up recently in Durban as parents of local children and those of foreign nationals clashed over the placement of children at Addington Primary School. The situation has threatened to escalate over access to government services.

It began when locals started preventing foreign nationals from accessing hospitals and clinics, and complaints have now extended to schools. With local parents complaining that they were struggling to find school placements for their children.

The king's spokesperson, Prince Thulani Zulu, said, “The king is aware that there are complaints and displeasure in the nation, as it seems that foreign nationals, especially those in the country illegally, are now seen as disrespectful by locals.

“We all know that the government has stated publicly that those who are in the country illegally and committing crimes, the government intends to deport them. The king agrees with the government and does not want this discord that we are seeing. There are laws that detail the conditions of how foreign nationals should behave when they are in this country and how they should interact with locals. We are not seeing that happen; instead, we are seeing rhetoric that causes anger. The king is calling for restraint; he is working to address this and will speak in detail on this on Thursday at the commemoration of the Battle of Isandlwana.”

Experts have urged the government to intervene and manage the tensions before they escalate and result in violence or even deaths.

Dr Vusumuzi Sibanda of the African Diaspora said the situation is deeply concerning and poses a serious threat if allowed to run unchecked. “The government leadership has always been minimal on issues concerning foreign nationals. The government tends to be reactionary and follows those instigating the brawl. It is the courts that often break the deadlock, but the government has rarely been at the forefront in protecting even the right to life.

“Government is meant to govern, and when the government provides leadership and direction and is firm and focused on what the law requires, people will be calm because they seek guidance. There is a vacuum because the government scapegoats migrants. If the government is decisive, the worst that can happen is that people will vote out the government in question during the next election,” he said.

Sibanda said a lack of government action could result in unnecessary loss of life. “The lacklustre approach from the government regarding migrants residing in the country has not helped save any lives; in fact, it has caused many deaths,” he said.

ActionSA leader Zwakele Mncwango said the government response has been largely reactive, fragmented, and inadequate.

“We have not seen a clear, coordinated national plan to deal with illegal immigration, border control, or the pressure this places on public services. Statements are often issued only after tensions escalate, rather than preventative measures being implemented. This lack of decisive leadership has created uncertainty and frustration on the ground.”

Mncwango said locals are not inherently hostile to foreign nationals; the real issue is illegal immigration that is unmanaged and unaccounted for. “When people feel that laws are not enforced and systems are failing, anger builds. Government silence or denial only fuels perceptions that the situation is being ignored, which is dangerous. Failure to act now risks pushing communities to take matters into their own hands.”

He warned that if the government continues on this path, the most likely outcome is an escalation of tensions that could lead to xenophobic violence, affecting not only undocumented individuals but also foreign nationals who are legally in the country.

Cultural and political expert Dr Musa Xulu said the biggest problem with the South African government is its inability to communicate with citizens. He cautioned that the government’s lack of response on this issue is not different from its general remoteness from the daily problems facing South Africans.

“Xenophobic physical battles between South African citizens and foreigners, like those that happened in 2008, now look very possible.”

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