INTRODUCTION:
Medical xenophobia is deeply entrenched within South Africa’s public health system, despite being a fundamental violation of the country’s constitution and ethical codes governing patient care. Many studies document discriminatory practices against migrants in public healthcare facilities. Yeoville Bellevue, however, represents a distinctive urban context. The suburb has a high concentration of both internal and international migrants and is widely recognised as a migrant community. While this phenomenon strains resources, including healthcare services, it also appears to limit the overt practice of medical xenophobia, which tends to manifest more strongly in healthcare settings located in areas predominantly populated by South African citizens. This study aimed to investigate the challenges faced by migrants in accessing public healthcare in Yeoville Bellevue and to assess how medical xenophobia is experienced or mitigated within this context.

METHODS:
A qualitative study design was used. Fifteen international migrants were purposively sampled and interviewed using an interview guide comprising closed- and open-ended questions. Observational data gathered during interviews was used to complement participant narratives. Inductive thematic content analysis was done on data using Atlas.ti.

RESULTS:
The study found high utilisation of public healthcare services by migrants, primarily due to financial constraints and perceptions of, thoroughness, and quality of care. Most participants reported minimal barriers to access and indicated that they had not experienced discrimination or at the Yeoville clinic. However, subtle challenges were identified, including slow service delivery, inadequate resources, language and cultural differences. These findings suggest that while medical xenophobia is structurally embedded in the South African public health system, its expression is spatially uneven and less pronounced in migrant-dominated communities.

CONCLUSIONS:
Migrants in Yeoville Bellevue appear to experience minimal challenges in accessing healthcare services. However, gaps between policy and practice persist, underscoring the need for continued training, resource allocation, and rights-based healthcare approaches.