South Africa’s Zulu King Misuzulu kaZwelithini has sparked alarm among migrant communities after using a deeply offensive term for foreigners and saying they should all leave the country, during a speech that had been widely expected to calm rising anti-migrant tensions in KwaZulu-Natal.
Speaking at commemorations of the Battle of Isandlwana — where Zulu warriors defeated British forces 147 years ago — the king told supporters that all “kwerekwere,” a derogatory slur used against African migrants, must leave South Africa, even if they have families with South African citizens.
“We must now sit down and discuss this, because even if my nephew’s father is a ‘kwerekwere’, the ‘kwerekwere’ must leave. Only the child will remain,” he said, drawing cheers and laughter from the crowd.
The remarks have drawn criticism and concern, particularly given the king’s symbolic influence over a large portion of South Africa’s population. Although he holds no formal political power, around one-fifth of South Africans are Zulu, and the monarchy remains highly influential and publicly funded.
South Africa is home to an estimated 2.4 million migrants — about 4% of the population — many from neighbouring countries such as Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Lesotho. Xenophobic sentiment has long been a volatile issue in the country, periodically erupting into violent attacks on foreign nationals.
Critics have also pointed to the irony of the king’s comments, noting that his own mother was from Eswatini and that one of his wives is from the same neighbouring kingdom.
The king’s words echo comments made by his late father, King Goodwill Zwelithini, who in 2015 urged migrants to “pack their belongings” — remarks later described by South Africa’s Human Rights Commission as “hurtful and harmful.”
Anti-migrant rhetoric has gained renewed political traction amid high unemployment, which stands at around 33%. New opposition parties and activist movements, including Operation Dudula and March on March, have blamed migrants for job shortages and pressure on public services.
Just days before the king’s speech, protesters targeted a primary school in Durban, claiming — falsely, according to authorities — that the majority of pupils were children of migrants. The protest forced the school to close temporarily and prompted a police deployment.
Officials later clarified that foreign pupils make up just 1.8% of learners nationally, and that all children in South Africa have a constitutional right to basic education regardless of nationality.
Human rights lawyer Dr Vusumusi Sibanda warned that the king’s remarks could embolden vigilantism. “The king is respected by many people, including foreigners. He is supposed to be a unifying symbol,” he said.
Security analyst Lizette Lancaster added that the comments risk fuelling anti-migrant sentiment and should be strongly condemned, stressing that incitement or vigilante action against migrants must be addressed under the law.
In recent months, courts have moved to curb such activities. In November, Operation Dudula was ordered to stop blocking migrants from accessing public healthcare facilities and schools, after a court ruled its actions unlawful.
The king also reignited debate by calling for the removal of “Natal” from the province’s name, arguing that it should simply be called KwaZulu. The proposal has drawn criticism from historians and cultural experts, who warn it could inflame ethnic nationalism in one of South Africa’s most diverse provinces.
Professor Musa Xulu, a cultural historian, said renaming the province would distort history. “There was never a time when this entire region was a Zulu kingdom,” he noted, adding that KwaZulu-Natal has always been multicultural.
Since ascending the throne in 2022, King Misuzulu has largely remained out of political controversy, with headlines instead focused on royal succession disputes and personal matters. His latest speech, however, suggests a more confrontational public role — reopening wounds in a country where tensions over migration remain raw and unresolved.
