Abstract
The prevalence of xenophobia in South Africa has hindered the realisation of the National Development Plan making it impossible to achieve sustainable development goals by 2030. Xenophobic attacks have hindered all efforts to alleviate poverty and hunger. The paper found that xenophobia attacks destroy the ability and capacity of the state needed for the realisation of the National Development Plan for Sustainable Development Goals. Xenophobic attacks in South Africa were found to affect the National Development Plan and prevents it from promoting Sustainable Development Goals because it affects partnerships between locals and migrants in South Africa to work towards achieving sustainable development. The paper found that xenophobic attacks affect foreign national entrepreneurs’ businesses, and decide to remove their businesses out of the country. This removal thus loss of jobs and increase unemployment rates and affects economic growth. Xenophobia was found to have substantial negative impact on the environment for business, therefore, affecting the materialisation of the National Development Plan and Sustainable Development Goals in South Africa. Yet, realisation of the National Development Plan Vision 2030 and Sustainable Development Goals depends on securing sustainable environment for business that promote sustainable economic growth. There is need for the state to address xenophobia from its root causes to secure sustainable environment for business, and secure partnerships between foreigners and locals. To collect data and analyse it, the paper adopted a qualitative research methodology with an explanatory approach.