AFRICAN UNITY AT THE CROSSROADS: AN ASSESSMENT OF XENOPHOBIC ATTACKS IN SOUTH AFRICA

The persistence of xenophobic attacks in post-apartheid South Africa presents a significant challenge to the realization of African unity and the broader objectives of continental integration. Despite South Africa historical role as a beneficiary and advocate of Pan-African solidarity, recurrent violence against African migrants has exposed enduring tensions between the ideals of Pan-Africanism and the realities of post-apartheid nation-building. This study assesses the implications of recurrent xenophobic attacks in South Africa for African unity by examining their historical evolution, analyzing their major socioeconomic, political, and institutional drivers, evaluating their implications for regional cooperation and continental integration, assessing the responses of key stakeholders, and proposing policy measures for strengthening African solidarity. The study adopted the historical/descriptive research design based on documentary analysis using secondary data drawn from peer-reviewed literature, official government publications, and reports issued by the African Union (AU), the Southern African Development Community (SADC), and other relevant international and governmental institutions. Data were analyzed using qualitative thematic analysis within the social identity theory framework. The findings reveal that persistent socioeconomic inequality, unemployment, weak migration governance, exclusionary political rhetoric, contested citizenship, and inadequate institutional responses drive recurrent xenophobic attacks. The study further revealed that xenophobic violence undermines interstate trust, weakened regional cooperation, discouraged intra-African mobility, and posed significant obstacles to the realization of Agenda 2063 and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). The study concludes that strengthening African unity requires effective migration governance, inclusive socioeconomic development, strengthened accountability, civic education, and renewed commitment to the principles of Pan-Africanism.