SAMNET expresses its concern at the alleged Islamophobic hate crime in Tzaneen.

According to the statement released by the Tzaneen Muslim Community — Masjid us Salaam, a male congregant walking home roughly 100 metres from the mosque was attacked by a group of four teenage boys. The attack involved improvised devices described as plastic bottles containing a mixture of milk and chlorine. It was unprovoked, the victim was unsuspecting, and he sustained injuries to his face and leg.

What is not being counted

SAMNET notes ongoing incidents of hate against Muslims, frequently blended with racism and xenophobia, that circulate within the community. Because most are never formally reported — or, as with many hate crimes, are categorised incorrectly when they are — they remain invisible in the record.

That invisibility is itself part of the problem. A pattern that is not counted cannot be shown to exist, and what cannot be shown to exist is not policed as a pattern.

Where it is being fed from

We are concerned by the growth in Islamophobic posts and messaging on social media and in groups, often driven by international actors. There is reasonable evidence that, as with the baseless claims of a “white genocide” in South Africa, these platforms are being used for political and ideological ends, and that such campaigns are funded and promoted by external groups seeking to foment division and hate among South Africans.

A community woven into this country

Like many communities, Muslims in South Africa have contributed and sacrificed in the national struggle for freedom, justice and human rights from the earliest days of colonisation. Through that struggle our communities forged a lasting bond, and a tolerance and inclusion, across a very diverse people.

Our strength is in that diversity. But we must be alert, and act, to ensure Islamophobia is not tolerated.

This latest attack follows recent incidents including an attempted bombing of a mosque, acts of vandalism, and the killing of a woman and the stabbing of her family.

We call on the South African Police Service to act swiftly and to treat this and other hate crimes as a priority — and for far greater education, awareness and tolerance.

Attack reported near Tzaneen mosque — Letaba Herald, 22 February 2026.

SAMNET has been a member of the Hate Crime Working Group since its inception. We encourage the reporting of Islamophobia, and are working towards a National Islamophobia and Hate Crimes Register. Contact info@samnet.co.za or WhatsApp 084 333 3979.

Related

Press Statement: Islamophobic Hate Crimes Increasing Across the World · Safety and Security for Musaajid, Islamic Spaces and Events

Shared by the South African Muslim Network (SAMNET) in the interest of increasing awareness of Islamophobia and hate crimes in South Africa.