South Africans debate the migrant question
From Focus on Africa by BBC World Service
April 29, 2026 · 23 min
About this episode
The episode discusses rising anti-immigration sentiments in South Africa and features a record-breaking performance by Kenyan athlete Sebastian Sawe.
In South Africa, rising anti-immigration protests are once again putting xenophobia in the spotlight. We hear from two South Africans with opposing views to understand what’s fuelling the anger, from economic pressure to questions of identity and belonging. Then, we turn to sport, where Kenyan athlete Sebastian Sawe is making global headlines. After a record-breaking performance in London, he has become the first runner to break the two-hour marathon barrier in a competitive race. We look at what this achievement means for the future of long-distance running and what it takes to reach such extraordinary levels. Presenter : Charles Gitonga Producer: Rukia Bulle Technical Producer: Mbarak Abdallah Senior Producers: Keikantse Shumba and Blessing Aderogba Editors: Priyanka Sippy and Maryam Abdalla
People in this episode
Host: Charles Gitonga
Topics covered
- immigration
- xenophobia
- economic pressure
- identity
- long-distance running
- sports achievement
Keywords
- South Africa
- immigration
- xenophobia
- Sebastian Sawe
- marathon
- sports
- identity
- economic pressure
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: BBC World Service
Places: South Africa, Kenya
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