XENOPHOBIA: ‘Not South African enough’ — how police allegedly target citizens and migrants across Joburg

Johannesburg police allegedly targeted both foreign nationals and naturalized South African citizens with xenophobic profiling, according to One Stone Capital Group CEO Tendai Musikavanhu. On Sunday, 27 September, Musikavanhu and his wife were stopped by police outside their Northcliff home when the officers questioned the legitimacy of their identity documents due to his Shona surname.

Despite explaining his South African citizenship, Musikavanhu claims the officer detained him and his wife, demanding he name five generations of ancestors to prove his heritage. He was released without charge after his lawyer intervened, but the incident prompted Musikavanhu to express his outrage and frustration. Councillor Nicolene Jonker reported that the issue was not isolated, with multiple residents in nearby areas also experiencing similar police targeting.

East African migrants in Rosettenville reported being targeted by police as well, with one individual paying R1,500 to avoid detention. A 2026 report from Lawyers for Human Rights found that such experiences are widespread and often involve corruption and abuse, with migrants being stopped arbitrarily and threatened with arrest or fines to coerce payments.