South African Artists Lose Gigs Amid Continent-Wide Backlash to Migration Crackdown

Kubayi warned at a Pretoria briefing that South Africa's strict migration enforcement, including visa cancellations and deportations, is prompting African countries to pull the plug on local performers' tours. This follows anti-immigrant protests and President Cyril Ramaphosa's five-point plan for border controls and raids, amid high unemployment fueling tensions. While some abroad celebrate the moves as payback and call for boycotts, South Africans largely back the crackdown, even at the cost to artists, testing the nation's image and pan-African relations.