South Africa Explodes: Anti-Immigrant Deadline Sparks Mass Protests

Thousands of people marched across cities in South Africa on Tuesday, demanding the departure of undocumented foreign nationals. These nationwide protests culminated a weeks-long campaign led by citizen-led vigilante groups, which had set an unofficial June 30 deadline for foreigners without proper documentation to leave the country. The campaign has already resulted in the deaths of four individuals and prompted thousands to flee.

Police were deployed in force to monitor the demonstrations. In Johannesburg, South Africa’s financial capital, crowds moved through the city center where most shops were closed, workers stayed home, and transport hubs were quiet. Protesters waved flags and placards, under the watchful eyes of police in bulletproof jackets and riot helmets. Near Johannesburg, security forces had to escort a few foreign nationals away from a mob wielding large sticks amidst isolated reports of looting, stone-throwing, and confrontation.

In Durban, the Zulu heartland in the southeastern part of the country, protesters dressed in traditional warrior attire, carrying spears, whips, shields, and some draped in leopard skins. A demonstrator, Brightness Gumbi, 48, expressed her frustration, stating she struggled to afford business premises while foreign nationals could run shops, alleging they manage to pay by selling drugs. She hoped the demonstrations would prompt the president to enforce stricter laws. In the tourist city of Cape Town, approximately 100 people participated in a march through the city center, passing a counter-protest against Afrophobia and xenophobia.

South Africa, one of Africa’s wealthiest nations, is a significant draw for migrant labor, yet it faces severe challenges including an unemployment rate exceeding 30 percent, high crime rates, and failing public services in many regions. Groups mobilizing against illegal immigrants claim that these individuals take jobs and services away from local citizens. However, analysts argue that these claims unfairly scapegoat foreign nationals for government failures. Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma, leader of the anti-immigrant March and March group, addressed a crowd in Durban, asserting that South Africans have been replaced by illegal foreigners, leading to increased unemployment, and demanded “mass deportation,” asking the government to remove those who haven't left within the next six months.

The latest surge of anti-immigrant violence has tragically claimed the lives of at least two Mozambicans, an Ethiopian, and a Malawian, according to police reports. In response, several African governments, including Nigeria, Malawi, Ghana, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique, have organized voluntary repatriation flights and buses for their citizens. This marks the first time multiple governments have simultaneously organized such repatriations in South Africa, which has experienced previous flare-ups of violence targeting undocumented foreign nationals. Authorities stated that over 25,000 people had been processed for departure in recent weeks.

As the protests unfolded, hundreds of migrants, primarily Malawians and Zimbabweans, gathered in cities like Cape Town and Johannesburg, seeking assistance to return home. Many reported being evicted by landlords or fired by employers who feared fines or attacks from vigilante groups. A 23-year-old Zimbabwean woman in Cape Town, waiting among some 2,000 people for buses, expressed her fear, stating, “The people in South Africa, they don’t want us here. I’m scared.” Similarly, in Durban, a few dozen Malawians remained at a site from where thousands had been bused out, with 32-year-old Adam John explaining he felt it was better to try and get home while he still could after being warned by neighbors.

Concerned about a potential repeat of the unrest five years ago, which led to approximately 350 deaths from looting and riots, the South African government implemented a massive security deployment for Tuesday's mobilization. President Cyril Ramaphosa announced enhanced government plans to combat illegal immigration and urged traditional leaders to use their influence to calm tensions. Labor analyst Dale McKinley noted that this anti-migrant push has been "politically weaponized" ahead of local government elections scheduled for November. Previous anti-foreigner riots in South Africa have indeed proven deadly, notably in 2008 when 62 people lost their lives.