Migrant community leaders have accused anti-migrant groups of exaggerating the number of foreign nationals living in South Africa to fuel xenophobic sentiment, after official statistics revealed international migrants make up less than four percent of the country’s population.
The Zimbabwe Community in South Africa cited data presented by Statistician-General Risenga Maluleke during the South Africa National Migration Symposium (SAN-MIS) held on 26 June 2026, saying the figures challenge claims by anti-migrant groups that foreigners are overwhelming the country’s population and resources.
The data shows the number of immigrants in South Africa had reached 2.4 million by the 2022 Census.
This represents approximately 3.9 percent of a total population of 63.1 million as estimated at mid-2025.
In his presentation, the Statistician-General said according to the 2022 Census, there were more than 2.4 million international migrants in South Africa, equating to just below four percent of the total population.
Maluleke noted this aligns with the global average, where migrant populations typically make up about four percent of a country’s total.
Historical data shows the foreign-born population was recorded at 2.67 percent in the 1996 census, rose to approximately three percent in 2001, peaked at nearly five percent in 2011 and settled at 3.9 percent in the 2022 census.
Maluleke provided a detailed breakdown of the foreign-born demographic:
Zimbabwe accounts for 48.3 percent – approximately one million people
Mozambique – approximately 400 000 residents
United Kingdom – around 277 000 residents
Malawi – 198 000 residents
The top ten countries of origin are heavily dominated by SADC nations, including Lesotho, Botswana, Zambia, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Nigeria.
Migrants from further afield, such as Ethiopia, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Somalia, make up much smaller numbers, generally ranging between 15 000 and 20 000 individuals.
“The statistics as shared by the Statistician General shows there is no crisis on migration in South Africa,” said Chairperson of the Zimbabwe Community in South Africa, Ngqabutho Nicholas Mabhena.
“As the census pointed out in 2022 that there are 63 million South Africans then it documented 2.4 million migrants which in our view is a small number. But the anti-migrants groupings want to make it as if there is now a serious crisis on migration.”
South Africa’s Statistician-General also said while international migration garners significant public attention, intra-national migration and fertility rates play a much larger role in provincial demographics.
Addressing a critical misconception, Maluleke clarified while 50 percent of international migrants entering South Africa choose Gauteng as their destination, the absolute largest contributor to the province’s overall population growth is actually internal migrants from Limpopo, not foreign nationals.
Similarly, in the Western Cape, population expansion is driven by an equal proportion of internal migrants from the Eastern Cape and international migrants.
The Western Cape is projected to receive the second-highest inflow of migrants, with an estimated 500 347 people expected to move into the province between 2021 and 2026.
Maluleke stressed reliable migration statistics are essential for planning housing, infrastructure, healthcare, education and employment.
“Statistics enable us to move beyond perceptions and anecdotal evidence. They provide a factual basis for understanding migration trends and their impact on society, ensuring that policy interventions are informed by evidence,” he said.
The Statistician-General noted migration remains an important component of population change alongside births and deaths.
According to Stats SA estimates, Gauteng is expected to experience the largest inflow of migrants between 2021 and 2026, with approximately 1.4 million people moving into the province during the period.
However, the migrant leader acknowledged a critical gap in the data.
“Of course we do not know the number of those that are not documented as this report does not bring that figure to the fore,” Mabhena said.
Mabhena’s remarks come amid escalating anti-migrant sentiment in South Africa, with groups such as March and March organising campaigns against foreign nationals.
Reports in South Africa also stated that Ahmed Kathrada Foundation has also sought to debunk myths about immigration, noting that the 2.4 million figure “includes both documented and undocumented migrants.”
Maluleke also referenced the 2022/2023 Income and Expenditure Survey, a sample survey that indicated about 3.5 million foreign-born individuals, a slightly higher figure expected from sample-based extrapolations compared to the full census.
Meanwhile, reports in South Africa have highlighted divisions within the anti-immigration movement after former March and March leader Ngizwe Mchunu alleged the organisation is funded by a local political party and an international donor.
The claims have been strongly denied by March and March leader Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma, who challenged Mchunu to produce evidence.
According to South African reports, Mchunu said he believed the days of March and March were “numbered” and attributed his change in stance to a meeting with President Cyril Ramaphosa.
“March and March is funded by a local political party and, what I can say is, they have two accounts. I will say all in time. For now, I have to fix the country. This government has collapsed, the economy is suffering, and I had to meet the president halfway. We are working together to fix things,” Mchunu was quoted as saying.
Responding to the allegations, Ngobese-Zuma said Mchunu should provide evidence rather than make unsubstantiated claims.
“We all know he is just an ANC project. He must stop saying he has proof and just show everyone the proof. It’s very simple. Instead of fighting with us, he should be clearing his name over claims that he was bribed, if it’s not true,” she said.
Separately, some analysts and media reports have suggested that family members and associates of former South African president Jacob Zuma have links to elements within the loose network of groups driving anti-immigration campaigns originating in KwaZulu-Natal.
However, there is no evidence that Zuma himself has been involved in organising or directing the movement.
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