As tensions and violence against migrants continue to spread across parts of South Africa, the President of the Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference (SACBC) has issued a pastoral letter condemning attacks on foreign nationals and warning political leaders against exploiting the migration crisis for political gain ahead of local government elections.

In the Wednesday, 20 May pastoral letter signed by Cardinal Stephen Brislin, the  bishops described the violence, intimidation, and displacement of migrants and refugees as “a grave assault on human dignity and a betrayal of the values that should define our society.”

“We unequivocally and without ambiguity condemn the acts of violence, intimidation, and displacement directed at migrants and refugees,” the bishops wrote. “Violence against migrants can never be justified, tolerated, or accepted.”

The pastoral letter comes amid growing concern over a renewed wave of attacks in several parts of the country, particularly in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng, where vigilante-style anti-immigrant campaigns have intensified in recent weeks.

On 19 May, dozens of foreign nationals, including women and children, sought refuge outside the Durban Central Police Station after reportedly receiving threats from community members in areas where they live and work. Some migrants spent the night in cold conditions outside the station, fearing further attacks.

In the letter signed by Cardinal Brislin, the bishops acknowledged that the unrest emerges within a broader context of social frustration, economic hardship, and failures in governance. The pastoral letter points to persistent unemployment, inequality, poor service delivery, corruption, and weaknesses in immigration management as contributing factors fuelling resentment in vulnerable communities.

“We wish to speak plainly: failures in governance, accountability, and leadership lie at the heart of the current crisis,” the bishops stated. “For too long, the cries of the poor have gone unheard.”

The bishops also recognised concerns surrounding porous borders, corruption within the Department of Home Affairs, exploitation of migrant labour, criminal activities involving some migrants, and the absence of meaningful integration in certain communities. Yet they insisted that none of these realities could ever justify violence or collective punishment.

“While these concerns and frustrations are real and must be addressed honestly, they can never justify violence against another human being,” the letter said.

The bishops warned that South Africa now faces a decisive moral and political moment.

“In light of the upcoming local government elections, we offer a particular and urgent appeal to political parties and all those seeking public office: do not exploit the migration situation or the suffering of communities for political gain,” the bishops said.

“The instrumentalisation of fear, division, and human vulnerability for electoral advantage is morally unacceptable and risks further destabilising an already fragile social context.”

Invoking the teachings of the late Pope Francis and his encyclical Fratelli Tutti, the bishops reaffirmed the Christian conviction that every person is created in the image and likeness of God and therefore possesses an inviolable dignity that must be protected.

“As people of faith, we return to the foundational truth that every person is created in the image and likeness of God,” the statement said. “We cannot build a peaceful society through hatred, scapegoating, or violence.”

The bishops concluded by calling for “justice, ethical leadership, solidarity, and social responsibility,” warning that without these values “there can be no lasting peace.”

The latest unrest follows demonstrations organised by anti-immigrant groups, including the movement known as March and March, which has staged protests in Pretoria, Johannesburg, and Durban demanding stricter immigration enforcement. Human rights organisations have warned that some demonstrations have degenerated into violent attacks on foreign-owned businesses and migrants.

According to Human Rights Watch, vigilante groups have carried out assaults, intimidation campaigns, and forced displacement of African and Asian foreign nationals in recent weeks, often with insufficient intervention from law enforcement authorities.