PODCAST: How migrants survive xenophobia and the shadowy ‘volunteers’ who target them

Ask any ordinary African migrant – legal or undocumented – what they fear most in their daily life negotiating Johannesburg, and they will tell you that it is being on the receiving end of enforcement.

It comes in three guises: Vigilantes, cops and “the volunteers”.

First, outside the law. In a year where the likes of March and March, with its violent attacks on migrants, has been raging and is set to intensify before the local government elections, it goes without saying that migrants try to avoid these vigilantes.

Second, the police. The SAPS or metro police unfortunately have lots of rotten apples – dealing with migrants often involves extortion, bribery and, if you don’t want to play along, heavy-handed treatment. Even if you have the right papers, migrants say the cops will try to intimidate you and walk away with their palms greased.

The third bunch, “the volunteers”, after which this podcast series is named, are an unknown force to most South Africans. 

In The Volunteers, we go undercover over four episodes, exposing the inner workings of the “volunteers”. They are linked to community policing forums and are called patrollers – but they are better known as “volunteers” by the migrant community. They are the so-called eyes and ears of the police, but many focus mainly on migrants.

The migrants all know and fear them, because many have been on the receiving end of these “volunteers”, even describing them as “South Africa’s ICE” after the US’ notorious Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

They operate mainly in Johannesburg’s CBD, where many migrants live, work and commute. Many of them use their power for shakedowns and bribe-taking.

But The Volunteers also tell the stories of ordinary migrants in Johannesburg, how they got here, how they deal with discrimination, and how their communities organise themselves.

We tell the heartbreaking story of a disabled migrant who had to walk kilometres after he was thrown out of a taxi, a hawker tells us why she doesn’t take cellphone calls in a taxi, and a coffee shop manager explains what he has learned in 20 years about how to deal with South African police officers.

But what happens when you get caught, even when your papers are in order? We also explore the little-known Johannesburg court, dedicated to pursuing migrants, where “justice” means one-way traffic for foreign nationals: straight to prison and deportation. 

Listen to the four-part podcast below.

Episode 1: ‘Why are you screaming?’

South Africa has recently experienced a resurgence of xenophobia. In this episode, two migrant women from Zimbabwe tell their harrowing experiences about crossing the border into South Africa.   

A researcher also explains the xenophobic roots as well as why the resurgence is happening now.

Episode 2: ‘Open the borders!’

Despite constant threats and attacks, migrants in South Africa have communities they can turn to for support. Churches and WhatsApp groups provide refuge. This episode looks at how migrants navigate and survive life in Johannesburg.

Episode 3: ‘I want to join — what do I do?’

The South African police have outsourced some of their pursuit of urban migrants to so-called volunteers. So, these volunteers – who are they, where do they operate and what do they do to migrants? And are they South Africa’s ICE?

Episode 4: ‘You caused serious discomfort to the country!’

This is what happens when migrants get caught by the cops and those volunteers. And then? We visit a court dedicated to hounding migrants. DM

The host of The Volunteers, Tebadi Mmotla, and the series producer, Charles Leonard, are independent journalists, podcasters and media trainers. They have been working closely together doing current affairs and narrative podcasts for the past seven years. Leonard is a multi-award-winning journalist who has worked across the media for nearly four decades, and Mmotla is one of our country’s finest young journalists and brightest minds.

The podcasts were made possible with funding from the Rosa Luxemburg Foundation.