Border jumpers: stand-up comedy and Afrophobia in South Africa

This article explores stand-up comedy’s ability to break down barriers and stimulate discussions about the Zimbabwean presence in South Africa, a country that continues to grapple with Afrophobic political rhetoric and violence against African migrants. We do so by examining the words and works of two comedians who perform primarily in South Africa, Bexta Ndabalime and Q Dube. Through a combination of interviews and performance analyses, we trace how Dube (born and raised in Zimbabwe) and Ndabalime (born in Botswana and raised in Botswana and Zimbabwe) challenge Afrophobic sentiments in two primary ways: by offering a counter-narrative to South African stereotypes about Zimbabwe and Zimbabweans, and by promoting a Pan-Africanist consciousness that humanizes people from different African nationalities living in South Africa. Ultimately, we contend that in the face of Afrophobic headwinds, the comedy of Dube and Ndabalime suggests that Zimbabweans share a common cultural and historic identity with South Africans, even if they do not share a common citizenship.