Cape Town Pastor’s Ordeal Sheds Light on Xenophobic Undercurrents in South Africa

Cases of violence against foreigners have long cast a shadow over South Africa’s social landscape, flaring sporadically in towns and cities across the nation. But for Pastor Joel Banzolele Matulumba, a Cape Town resident and spiritual leader, xenophobia is not just a headline—it is a harrowing reality.

In a chilling incident that unfolded in October 2024, Pastor Joel’s home in Parow, a suburb of Cape Town, became the stage for a violent attack that left a congregation shaken and a family forever changed.

It was shortly after a home prayer meeting, just past 5 pm, when the tranquility was shattered. As worshipers lingered outside Pastor Joel’s house, exchanging final words and blessings before parting ways, three armed assailants stormed the gathering. Their intentions quickly became clear: they were hunting for the pastor himself.

The group’s resistance was met with raw aggression. When one worshiper attempted to deny the pastor’s presence, a gunshot sliced through the dusk, a warning that mercy would not be given lightly. Inside the house, Pastor Joel watched the chaos unfold on CCTV. With his wife still indoors, he made a split-second, selfless decision—he would face the danger himself, urging his wife to lock the doors behind him as he stepped outside.

The confrontation was brutal. One attacker struck Pastor Joel on the head with the butt of a gun, hurling insults and demanding he open the house. The assailants rifled through his pockets, stripping him of his belongings, before turning on the frightened worshipers, seizing their phones and wallets.

As terror gripped the scene, Pastor Joel’s son, who had been waiting in a car nearby, panicked. Attempting to flee, he crashed into a stone, narrowly escaping as one of the gunmen gave chase. Against all odds, the young man managed to evade his pursuer and summon the police, but the attackers melted away into the night.

Initially, the incident seemed like a robbery—one more statistic in a city beset by crime. But as Pastor Joel reflected, he realized the attack was laced with xenophobic vitriol. The assailants used slurs such as “Kwerekwere,” and ordered the worshipers to “go back to your country with your worship noise and leave us alone.”

As anti-migrant violence intensifies across South Africa, Pastor Joel’s ordeal is emblematic of a broader crisis. Despite opening a case with the police, his attackers remain at large, and no arrests have been made. The unresolved trauma leaves Pastor Joel, his family, and his congregation living in the shadow of fear.

This story is not an isolated one. It stands as a stark reminder of the dangers faced by foreign nationals in South Africa and the urgent need for communities—and authorities—to confront the toxic undercurrents of xenophobia that too often erupt into violence.