The normal display of African unity in the early stages of a football World Cup was notably absent from social media as many fans from across the continent backed Mexico in the tournament’s opening match against South Africa. The memes were light-hearted – including sombreros, mariachi bands and tacos – but they pointed to a dark underbelly. The banter reflected anger over the reports of xenophobic violence in South Africa.
A poor South African performance on the pitch led to a 2-0 defeat against the World Cup co-hosts.
As the final whistle blew, social media lit up with a flood of mocking posts. But some South Africans pushed back, praising the spirit of their team, nicknamed Bafana Bafana.
South Africa is one of 10 African teams at this year’s expanded World Cup, with the US and Canada co-hosting along with Mexico.
Ahead of the Thursday’s match, some African football fans justified their support for Mexico by linking it to the current tensions in South Africa over migration.
“You want people to cheer for you when you play soccer just because we’re African?” one X user asked citing reports of mistreatment of migrants.
“We’re supporting Mexico so that South Africa can go back home early to protect their jobs,” another user posted, playing on the unfounded accusation that foreigners were responsible for South Africa’s high unemployment rate.
“I hope South Africa is not blaming African migrants for the 2–0 defeat and two red cards in the match against Mexico,” posted Ahmednasir Abdullahi, a prominent Kenyan lawyer.
Others shared memes playfully embracing Mexican culture for the day, changing their profile pictures to Mexican flags and adopting Spanish-sounding names, under the caption “Mexico versus xenophobia”.
Daniel Kaniki, a Congolese football supporter who was at a fan park in the US city of Atlanta told the BBC: “Africa is like one country and if one is chasing others, we are not a family any more. That’s why I’m supporting Mexico today.”
Though not everyone agreed.
Ghanaian Vanlare Quist, was also at the fan park and said he was rooting for South Africa, adding that he was “a proud African” and blamed the anti-immigrant sentiment in South Africa on a few individuals.
In South Sudan, fans at public viewing centres in the the capital, Juba, were also backing Bafana Bafana. People there have a strong affinity to South Africa, linking their fight for independence from Sudan to the struggle against white-minority rule in South Africa.
“It was unfortunate that on social media we saw some African countries supporting Mexico and even wearing Mexico jerseys. As South Sudanese, we are behind South Africa and will continue to support South Africa – because they are representing Africa. So, all African countries must support South Africa during this World Cup,” 23-year-old student George Kenyi Charles Rehan told the BBC in Juba.
In a statement, the South African government commended Bafana Bafana for their “spirited performance”, adding that while the final score was not what the nation had hoped for, the team “represented South Africa with unity, determination, and a sense of pride on the world’s biggest stage”.
South Africans on social media were robust in their response to the trolling.
“We qualified for the World Cup alone without your support and whether we win or lose we will remain South Africans who love their country. And illegal immigrants will still leave our country whether you hate us or not,” one posted on social media.
Another said: “They can support Mexico all they want we are not backing down. Come to South Africa legally.”
In South Africa, migrants from elsewhere in Africa have been the targets of violence and intimidation in recent weeks.
Anti-migrant groups have set a deadline of 30 June for foreign nationals living in the country illegally to leave.
President Cyril Ramaphosa has warned against people taking the law into their own hands saying that “only authorised government officials can act against violations of our law”.
But he also stated that South Africans’ concerns “deserve to be heard, and they deserve to be addressed”.
On Wednesday, Nigeria became the latest African country to repatriate some of its citizens from South Africa.
Ghana, Zimbabwe and Malawi have already carried out evacuations, saying that they were taking the anti-migrant threats seriously.
Many people from other parts of Africa moved to South Africa around the time white-minority rule ended in 1994, hoping for a better life.
But with South Africa facing an unemployment rate of more than 30%, anti-migrant sentiments have risen, with protest marches being held in major cities and people facing xenophobic attacks.
By BBC News
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