One of the main opposition politicians in South Africa, Julius Malema, has come hard on South Africans that launched xenophobic attacks against foreigners in the country over claims of job loss.
Speaking at an event organised to commemorate the 14th anniversary of Collen Mashawana Foundation on Thursday, April 30, 2026, pointedly asked South Africans to tell the nation how many jobs they have created?
Recently, videos of violent attacks particularly against African immigrants that included Nigerians, Ghanaians, and Zimbabweans in South Africa went viral on social media.
The Nigerian Consulate in Johannesburg said two Nigerians — Amaramiro Emmanuel and Ekpenyong Andrew were killed in the escalating xenophobic crisis.
Malema, who took a critical look at the unfortunate development, pointedly challenged the perpetrators of attacks on foreigners and the closure of their businesses to state the jobs they have created in South Africa.
Malema, who is leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters further said that citizens with no skills are claiming that foreigners took their jobs in South Africa.
Malema declared that he does not want the votes of those who attack foreigners or expect him to share in their hatred.
In the words of Malema; “I want to speak about the xenophobic and afrophobia that we are practicing here in South Africa today.
“I want to challenge you who say ‘Zimbabweans take your jobs, Nigerians take your jobs’ and you march, close shops, and beat up people. Tell us after doing that, how many jobs have you created?
“You beat people because they took jobs. You closed a shop that hired five people and you say they take our jobs. After closing that shop, how many jobs have you created?
“Unskilled men, with no skill whatsoever, say somebody took their jobs. The skill they know is to drink and want to pretend like revolutionaries.
“I don’t want your votes. If you behave like that, take them away. I don’t want a vote that says to me, I must hate Africans for you to vote for me. I will never do that,” he stressed.
