Key facts
- Thousands of demonstrators gathered in South Africa to protest illegal immigration.
- Anti-immigration groups, including March and March, set an unofficial deadline for undocumented foreigners to leave.
- South African police and military assets were deployed across the country, particularly in Johannesburg and Durban.
- Previous anti-immigration marches have resulted in violence, attacks on migrants, and vandalism.
- Migrants are seeking transport back to their home countries, with increased activity at border crossings and consulates.
South African authorities have deployed police and military units across the country in anticipation of widespread anti-immigration protests. Vigilante groups, including March and March, have organized demonstrations targeting undocumented foreign nationals, setting an unofficial deadline of June 30 for them to leave the country. Organizers insist the protests will be peaceful, but foreigners with documentation have reported harassment, and several foreign nationals have already been killed.
The deployment aims to prevent a recurrence of the large-scale looting and mob violence seen in previous years, such as the 2008 anti-migrant riots that resulted in 62 deaths and the 2021 unrest that killed over 350 people. Men carrying sticks have been seen interrogating and assaulting migrants in Johannesburg and Durban. Foreign-born migrants constitute an estimated 4% of South Africa's population, with many working in the informal sector due to economic hardship in neighboring countries. Despite protest organizers' claims, crime statistics indicate that only a small fraction of crimes are committed by foreigners.
President Cyril Ramaphosa has condemned xenophobia and intolerance, stating there is no place for such sentiments. Several neighboring governments, including Nigeria, Ghana, Malawi, and Uganda, have begun repatriating their citizens. Footage has emerged of Malawians camped outside their consulate in Johannesburg awaiting transport. In Johannesburg, some shops owned by foreign nationals remained closed as protesters gathered, with some demonstrators expressing a firm stance on the departure of undocumented migrants.