{"id":127633,"date":"2026-06-15T21:19:59","date_gmt":"2026-06-15T20:19:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pointblanknews.com\/pbn\/?p=127633"},"modified":"2026-06-15T21:19:59","modified_gmt":"2026-06-15T20:19:59","slug":"xenophobia-backlash-damaging-south-africas-global-image-minister-warns","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pointblanknews.com\/pbn\/news\/xenophobia-backlash-damaging-south-africas-global-image-minister-warns\/","title":{"rendered":"Xenophobia Backlash Damaging South Africa\u2019s Global Image, Minister Warns"},"content":{"rendered":"<div style=\"text-align: justify;\">By Oscar Okhifo<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\">South Africa\u2019s Justice and Constitutional Development Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi, has cautioned that rising concerns over xenophobia are increasingly harming the country\u2019s international reputation, with spillover effects now being felt across cultural, sports and economic sectors.<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Kubayi said the perception of xenophobic conduct in parts of the country is already influencing how South Africa is viewed abroad, leading to cancellations and hesitancy in international engagements involving South African artists and professionals.<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\">She noted that the fallout is no longer limited to diplomacy, stressing that it is affecting livelihoods.<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\">\u00a0\u201cWe can\u2019t lie about the backlash,\u201d she said, pointing to reported cases of South African performers losing scheduled appearances across the continent due to concerns over safety and public sentiment linked to the country\u2019s image.<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Speaking on Monday in Johannesburg, South Africa, amid renewed concerns over attacks on foreign nationals in parts of the country, Kubayi said the situation was already spilling over into cultural and economic spaces, affecting South African artists, companies, and broader diplomatic relations.<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\">She warned that the damage goes beyond entertainment and sports, stressing that it also threatens trade, investment, and South Africa\u2019s international reputation.<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\">She said the country\u2019s \u201cbrand\u201d was being affected in ways that could have long-term consequences for ordinary citizens.<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\">She also rejected the idea that xenophobia defines South Africa, urging restraint and lawful conduct in addressing immigration and security concerns.<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\">She reiterated that government does not accept xenophobia as a defining feature of South African society, urging citizens to refrain from vigilantism and to rely on lawful processes in addressing immigration and security concerns.<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Kubayi said authorities are engaging affected stakeholders and working to support South African businesses and citizens who are already experiencing ripple effects across the continent.<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\">She added that security agencies continue to monitor incidents of anti-immigrant violence, while government intensifies efforts to manage both the safety situation and the country\u2019s international reputation.<\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"text-align: justify;\">Whether these economic and reputational consequences will prompt promoters and stakeholders to reassess their actions in the interest of the country remains to be seen.<\/div>\n<!-- AddThis Advanced Settings generic via filter on the_content --><!-- AddThis Share Buttons generic via filter on the_content --><!-- AddThis Related Posts generic via filter on the_content -->","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>By Oscar Okhifo South Africa\u2019s Justice and Constitutional Development Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi, has cautioned that rising concerns over xenophobia are increasingly harming the country\u2019s international reputation, with spillover effects now&hellip;<!-- AddThis Advanced Settings generic via filter on wp_trim_excerpt --><!-- AddThis Share Buttons generic via filter on wp_trim_excerpt --><!-- AddThis Related Posts generic via filter on wp_trim_excerpt --><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":127634,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-127633","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v26.8 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Xenophobia Backlash Damaging South Africa\u2019s Global Image, Minister Warns - Pointblank News<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/pointblanknews.com\/pbn\/news\/xenophobia-backlash-damaging-south-africas-global-image-minister-warns\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" 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