South Africa has seen a rise in anti-Muslim rhetoric on social media in recent months, with posts accusing Muslim organisations of exploiting poverty to convert Black South Africans and questioning whether Muslims truly belong in the country. The trend intersects with a broader national debate over immigration, echoing the xenophobic violence that has periodically flared since the end of apartheid. Yet on the ground — particularly in rural areas like Nquthu (a village in northern KwaZulu-Natal province) — interfaith relations remain largely peaceful, with analysts and community members describing a sharp disconnect between online hostility and everyday reality. Political analyst Thembisa Fakude argues that widespread or organised Islamophobia does not yet exist in South Africa, while Muslim religious leader Moulana Sulaiman Ravat cautions that sustained exposure to online rhetoric could gradually shift public attitudes, making complacency risky.