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Xenophobia in South Africa Is Fuelled by Failed Leadership | Dale McKinley
BORDERLINES
Friday, 10 July 2026 - 58 minutes
Has South Africa’s democracy delivered political freedom but failed economically?
On this episode of Borderlines, Ireti Bakare-Yusuf sits down with Dr. Dale T. McKinley, independent writer, researcher and lecturer, for a wide-ranging conversation on inequality, xenophobia, democracy and the unfinished business of post-apartheid South Africa.
Dr. McKinley argues that South Africa's economic model left millions behind, creating the conditions for rising anti-immigrant sentiment. He also challenges claims made by anti-immigration movements, discusses the roots of Afrophobia, and questions whether political leaders have failed to address the country's deepest structural problems.
Key highlights from this conversation:
Why South Africa's democracy succeeded politically but struggled economically
The real causes of rising xenophobia and Afrophobia
Why immigrants are being made scapegoats for economic hardship
The legacy of apartheid and the economic choices made after 1994
Claims about misinformation, immigration and who benefits from social division
What do you think is driving South Africa's current tensions? Join the conversation in the comments below.
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