White South African Told to Leave UK in Viral Resurfaced Video As South Africans Draw Comparisons
- A resurfaced video of a British man confronting a white South African construction worker in the United Kingdom has gone viral on X
- X user @LadyMpopi shared the old clip in response to criticism of South Africans for wanting undocumented foreigners to leave the country
- South African users took to social media to note the clip dates to around 2016, with many drawing parallels to anti-foreigner sentiment back home
Source: Getty Images
Byron Pillay, a Briefly News journalist, has dedicated a decade to reporting on the South African political landscape, crime, and social issues. He worked as a newspaper journalist for 10 years before transitioning to online.
UNITED KINGDOM — A resurfaced video showing a British man aggressively telling a white South African construction worker to return home has gone viral on X.
The clip, shared on 6 July 2026 by X user @LadyMpopi, drew fresh attention to the reality that anti-foreigner tensions are not unique to South Africa. The X user used the clip to make a broader point about national responsibility.
"White South African working in the UK told to go back to South Africa by a British man. A reminder that everyone must fix their country because nationality is not racial," she wrote in her post.
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Her comments come as South Africans continue to call for the government to do something about illegal immigrants and porous borders.
Source: Getty Images
What happens in the video?
The footage, which is 39 seconds long, showed a middle-aged man confronting what appears to be a South African construction worker on a busy UK street.
The man hurled expletives at the South African, telling him to go back home. He also accused him of being a racist, insinuating that the South African and his co-workers were taking away jobs that could have been given to British men.
The confrontation was sparked after the South African asked the British man to move from the area, as the construction workers were busy there.
Several users in the replies confirmed the clip dates back to approximately 2016, though @LadyMpopi maintained that the video's age did not diminish its relevance. "Message not old," she replied when challenged.
South Africans have been accused of being xenophobic following calls for undocumented foreign nationals to leave the country. March and March gave illegal immigrants until 30 June 2026 to go back to their homes, but many remain.
South Africans react to the clip
The post gathered over 4,400 views, with South Africans drawing pointed comparisons to anti-foreigner sentiment at home.
The viral moment has prompted South Africans to reflect on how calls for foreigners to "go back home" echo across borders, with many noting that the frustration expressed by the British man mirrors sentiments frequently directed at foreign nationals in South Africa.
@HotTopics_Lisa joked:
"Europhobia."
@LaBeu_ claimed:
"Whitephobia."
@LibraYono wrote:
"This is exactly how we feel."
@Jakalasd2 added:
"Old video but the message was loud and clear."
@moserimad remarked:
"This never gets old."
@Kharikhode2 noted:
"A video that's more than seven years old finds itself back on X because some people don't want to go back home."
American man tells Afrikaners to go back to their country
In a related article, two South African Afrikaner men faced a shocking confrontation at an American store when they were verbally attacked.
The workers accused the men of sniffing an illegal substance and forced them to perform a sobriety test in front of other shoppers.
Briefly News reported that South Africans were divided in their reactions, with some expressing outrage and others drawing parallels to apartheid.
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Source: Briefly News
