My Reactions to this current Xenophobia
- Jun 26
- 3 min read
I strongly oppose this current xenophobic movement.
Some realities:
We are called from Pentecost, and as New Testament people, to exercise hospitality towards strangers!
If the foreigner has come here for help, we have the privilege of giving freely, just as we ourselves have freely received. Many are from nations that have helped our own struggling people in times past.
Much of the lack of appropriate documentation can be laid at the table of a broken, inefficient government.
Much of the marching is encouraging, or at least legitimizing, the evils of violence and looting. Two wrongs do not make a right.
Many of the reasons given as motivation for the protests are, in fact, based on fabrications. (See the attached statement of Fast Facts below.)
The broad sweep of the call to protest is contrary to the impact of the Gospel, which encourages recognition of the new humanity.
The entitlement curse in SA has resulted from the abusive policies of supposed affirmative action and now, in xenophobia, has become brutal selfishness.
Even the Golden Rule of Jesus' ethics encourages us to "do unto others as you would have them do unto you."
So often in life, we find we are called to operate in the opposite Spirit to that of the world, especially seeing that we, as Kingdom people, are in this world but not of it.
The Parable of the Good Samaritan speaks to us clearly of true neighbourly love being the action that is willing to be inconvenienced for the sake of helping fallen fellow human beings.
So let's be PRAYING and engaging , along with the Siyafunda Sonke movement, against the insanity and inhumanity of this escalated xenophobia.
Let's also offer whatever sanctuary and SUPPORT all affected persons that this Jericho Road importunity might afford us.
Dave Pedersen
National Director Vineyard SA and Senior Pastor Fountain Vineyard Christian Fellowship
Statement of Churches on the Xenophobic Violence in South Africa
Drafted by Alexander F Venter, 24 June 2026
We live in an international context of a huge “migrant issue” in Europe, the USA, and other nations, with increasing resistance by nationalist citizens, which often leads to violence. South Africa (SA) is no exception.
There has been a recent explosion of xenophobia (“fear of other races”) in SA, regardless of documented or undocumented migrants. It has led to an “unofficial deadline” of 30 June 2026 by some political formations and anti-migrant organisations for all foreigners to be out the country. This fuels further violence against foreigners.
What is our response as Christ-followers, as a local church, as the Church? This is not “being political” as in ideological political partisanship that serves group interests. It is our biblical-ethical response to this socio-political issue affecting our nation.Among several church statements, two comprehensive “pastoral letters” have been released, one by the SACC and one by the SACBC – see the details and links below. Here’s a concise summary of the statements I’ve read…
“As the Church, we reject both xenophobia and lawlessness. We stand with communities experiencing genuine hardship, and with vulnerable individuals and families who have been displaced, threatened, or harmed. Every person bears inherent dignity as the image of God and deserves to be treated with value and respect.
At the same time, we are concerned by the growing trend of citizens assuming functions that belong to the state, as in conducting patrols, demanding identification documents, questioning access to public services, attempting to enforce immigration laws, and threatening foreigners if they don’t leave, regardless of their legal status.
While local communities have legitimate concerns about unemployment, corruption, crime, illegal immigration, and the rule of law, the solution is not vigilantism, or xenophobia, or racism. South Africans should never feel compelled to perform the duties of police officers, immigration officials, labour inspectors, or the courts.
When citizens try to do the work of the state, it reflects a loss of public confidence in government’s ability to enforce the law, often due to corruption, mismanagement, and incompetence. The answer is not taking the law into our own hands. The answer is a capable functioning state that enforces the law consistently, fairly, transparently, and without fear or favour. Our government has and is failing to do this.
A strong society requires both responsible moral citizens and effective ethical government. Therefore, we call on government to strengthen law enforcement, secure our borders, uphold the rule of law, and protect the rights and dignity of all who live within our country.
South Africa is at its best when justice, compassion, accountability, and the rule of law work together. May that be.”
The link to read or download the PDF full statement of the SACC (South African Council of Churches) – “A Pastoral Letter to Member Churches” – of 9 June 2026:
The link to read the SACBC (South African Catholic Bishops Conference) statement, of 9 June 2026:
Via DAILY MAVERICK
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