South Africa's Justice Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi has acknowledged that the country's reputation for xenophobia is beginning to carry real economic costs, with local entertainers and businesses facing a backlash across the continent. Kubayi said several artists have lost performance bookings in other African countries — with one performer reporting that every scheduled show abroad had been cancelled — while South African companies operating overseas are also encountering difficulties. The fallout follows reports of xenophobic attacks within South Africa that prompted countries including Ghana, Nigeria, and Malawi to evacuate some of their citizens, and has spilled into sport, with Bafana Bafana (South Africa's national football team) captain Ronwen Williams noting that African fans appeared to back Mexico over South Africa during the team's opening 2026 FIFA World Cup match.