‘KWEREKWERE’ OUTRAGE! XENOPHOBIA WARNING AS HATE RHETORIC SPARKS ALARM
A growing backlash has erupted over the use of the slur “kwerekwere”, with critics warning that dehumanising language against fellow Africans risks fuelling discrimination and violence. The controversy centres on claims that a black South African activist has embraced the offensive term while mobilising anti-immigration sentiment in Durban.
Observers argue that reducing people to insults does nothing to address immigration challenges and instead deepens division. They say lawful immigration enforcement and public safety concerns should be handled through legal institutions—not through language that strips others of their humanity.
The criticism also highlights the influence of public figures, warning that normalising derogatory rhetoric can encourage prejudice among supporters. History, they argue, has repeatedly shown how dehumanising language can pave the way for exclusion and conflict.
Campaigners insist that South Africa’s future depends on rejecting hatred, respecting human dignity and ensuring debates over immigration remain rooted in the law rather than fear, insults and xenophobia.