Confronting Xenophobia and the Long Shadow of Colonialism

Abstract

I write in response to suddenly finding myself in a storm of publicity over anti-foreigner groups who blockade entries to health facilities and demand the production of South African IDs. I raise questions about how we came to face such a development and what an effective response should be.

The public health system of South Africa is in a state of disarray; there is chronic under-staffing of medical staff (South African Medical Association, 2025). Corruption is rampant and brazen (Rispel, 2016), stripping huge sums from the system; attempts to expose corruption at Tembisa Hospital in 2021 led to the assassination of the whistle-blower. Failures in management and leadership are widespread (Centre for Health Policy, 2016). Service to the public is thus impaired, but, despite these manifest failures, anger is seldom directed against those responsible, instead being targeted at vulnerable members of society.