Anti-Muslim Messages Spread Online in South Africa, but Community Life Tells a More Complex Story

In rural Nquthu, hundreds of people attended a Muslim funeral for Zwelibi Jack Ngubane, a 105-year-old man who had converted to Islam late in life. His family honored his wish to be buried according to Muslim rites, and the ceremony passed without hostility.

The funeral stands in sharp contrast to increasingly visible anti-Muslim rhetoric on South African social media. Some posts claim Muslims are trying to take control of the country. Others accuse humanitarian organizations of using aid to poor communities to encourage conversion to Islam. Gift of the Givers, known for responding to disasters and humanitarian crises, has also faced such accusations online.

Local experience in Nquthu is less confrontational. Khethukuthula Dlame, who converted to Islam as a teenager in 2012, is one of the few Muslims in his village. He said his faith and clothing had not caused conflict, and that his relationships with neighbors remained based on familiarity and respect.

Dlame believes attempts to mobilize hostility toward Muslims generally come from urban settings, particularly poor areas and crowded workers’ hostels where difficult living conditions can be used to inflame ethnic or religious tensions. Islam is not a recent arrival in South Africa: Muslim communities first emerged in the Cape during Dutch colonial rule in the 17th century. The 2022 census recorded fewer than one million Muslims, or about 1.6% of the population, while religious organizations estimate the number at between two million and five million.