Zimbabwean and Nigerian nationals account for a combined 41 per cent of foreign academics employed in public universities in South Africa, amid persistent xenophobic tensions in the country, a new report has revealed.
The figures showed that more than 7,000 foreign academics were on the payroll of South Africa’s public universities as of 2025, underscoring the heavy reliance of the higher education sector on migrant professionals.
According to data obtained by independent platform Truth Panther through the parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Higher Education and Training, Zimbabweans make up 27 per cent of the foreign academic workforce, while Nigerians account for 14 per cent.
The disclosure comes against the backdrop of recurring anti-immigrant sentiments and periodic xenophobic attacks targeting foreign nationals, particularly Africans working and residing in the country.
The report indicated a steady rise in the number of foreign academics, increasing from 6,739 in 2024 to 7,026 in 2025.
Among institutions, the University of Johannesburg recorded the highest number of foreign academic staff, employing over 1,400 as of 2025. It was followed by the University of the Witwatersrand with more than 1,000, and the University of Cape Town with nearly 1,000 foreign academics.
Other universities with notable foreign staff strength include the University of Pretoria, North-West University, University of the Free State, Stellenbosch University, and the University of KwaZulu-Natal.
Chairman of the parliamentary committee, Tebogo Letsie, confirmed that the documents detailing the employment of foreign nationals in public universities were released following a formal request.
The development is expected to reignite debate over immigration, employment, and skills shortages in South Africa, where foreign professionals have frequently been at the centre of political and social controversies.
For years, Nigerians in South Africa have raised concerns over discrimination, targeted violence, and negative stereotyping, despite their contributions to critical sectors such as education, healthcare, technology, and business.
Since 2008, waves of xenophobic violence in South Africa have led to deaths, displacement of thousands of migrants, and strained diplomatic ties with countries including Nigeria. The situation escalated notably in 2019 when attacks on foreign nationals triggered reprisals and emergency evacuations.
Experts and rights groups have consistently argued that foreign professionals help bridge critical skills gaps in South Africa’s economy, particularly in academia and research.
The latest data appears to reinforce that position, highlighting the significant role played by migrant scholars—especially from Nigeria and Zimbabwe—in sustaining teaching, research, and knowledge production across the country’s university system.
Truth Panther said it is currently analysing the full dataset and will release a comprehensive breakdown of foreign academic distribution across institutions and nationalities.
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