Anti-Immigrant Protests Intensify in South Africa

Security has been placed on high alert in sensitive areas across South Africa following serious unrest and violent incidents targeting foreign immigrants in the country’s economic and industrial centers, particularly Johannesburg, including the Soweto area, and Durban. The violent protests, which continued for a second consecutive day, saw groups of angry local residents organize and target foreign nationals and their businesses. Crowds set vehicles parked along roads on fire, broke into shops and supermarkets owned by foreigners, and carried out widespread looting. They also hurled bricks and glass bottles at police officers. Given the severity of the situation, law enforcement agencies fired tear gas on a large scale and used stun grenades to disperse the demonstrators.

The latest unrest was triggered by a controversial policy directive issued by the Department of Home Affairs, which was followed by the rapid spread of misinformation and rumours. South Africa’s Constitutional Court had issued a ruling allowing asylum seekers to submit applications upon entry into the country even without formal documentation. Following the government directive intended to implement the court’s order, hundreds of migrants gathered at refugee centres. Local groups opposed to immigration exploited the issue, spreading rumours that the ruling African National Congress (ANC) government planned to automatically grant legal status and documentation to undocumented immigrants without any screening. This misconception fuelled anger among local residents.

Local leaders and political representatives also contributed to rising public resentment by openly opposing the government’s move. Soweto community leader Sifiso Mposula alleged that the current government had become excessively committed to protecting foreign nationals and undocumented immigrants. Local councillor Mpumi Edward similarly argued that the Department of Home Affairs’ decision to legalize the status of foreign nationals was entirely wrong because, according to him, they had entered the country illegally. He called for their immediate imprisonment rather than the issuance of legal documents. In an emergency measure aimed at containing the unrest and preventing further escalation, the Department of Home Affairs formally withdrew the directive on Friday and announced that it would develop a new, comprehensive plan in accordance with the Constitutional Court’s requirements.

The violent incidents are not simply the result of a sudden public reaction but represent a continuation of a broader, organized anti-immigrant movement in South Africa, led by nationalist and anti-immigration groups such as March and March. Previously, these groups had issued an unofficial deadline of June 30 for foreign nationals to leave the country. This created an atmosphere of fear and uncertainty, forcing tens of thousands of migrants from other African countries to leave South Africa. Although the government announced stricter border surveillance, a crackdown on human-trafficking networks, and accelerated deportations of undocumented individuals deemed ineligible to remain in the country in June, tensions have persisted on the ground.

As Africa’s largest and wealthiest economic centre, South Africa has attracted migrants seeking employment and better living conditions for decades. However, over the past two decades, waves of xenophobic attacks and violence against foreign nationals have periodically resurfaced. The country’s unemployment rate has now exceeded 30 percent, and some local residents claim that foreign nationals are taking away scarce economic resources, jobs, and business opportunities. With municipal elections scheduled for November 4 approaching, illegal immigration is increasingly being used as an issue in electoral politics and as a means of mobilizing voters. This has heightened concerns about the safety of foreign nationals, their property, and their livelihoods.