Thousands marched in South Africa on Tuesday demanding that illegal immigrants leave the country as the deadline set by anti-immigration campaigners expires today.
Police were deployed across South Africa’s major urban centres as Xenophobic tensions continue to rise in the country with at least four people reported killed since street demonstrations started this year.
Major commercial hubs like central Durban and areas of Johannesburg have transformed into ghost towns, with businesses boarded up and streets unusually quiet. Early signs of unrest have already flared, with police confirming five arrests for looting in Johannesburg’s Soweto township and another five in KwaZulu-Natal province.
President Cyril Ramaphosa has urged demonstrators to remain peaceful, but anxiety remains high.
The demonstrations, heavily backed by groups like Operation Dudula, tap into long-standing socioeconomic frustrations. Campaigners blame undocumented migrants for straining public services and competing for jobs in a country grappling with high unemployment.
On Monday, hours before the June 30 deadline, a Nigerian businessman simply identified as “Big Joe” was reportedly shot dead outside his shop.
According to eyewitness accounts, the victim was attacked by gunmen while standing outside his business premises. The assailants reportedly opened fire multiple times before fleeing the scene.
President Ramaphosa is walking a dangerous political tightrope, acknowledging the public demand for immigration reform while pleading for constitutional order.
“Some foreign nationals who live in South Africa are here lawfully,” Ramaphosa reminded citizens in his weekly newsletter. “They work, study, raise families, invest in our economy and contribute positively to our society. They too are entitled to the protection of our laws and our Constitution.”
“The right to protest and freedom of expression does not allow people to threaten or intimidate others, or to engage in acts of vandalism or violence,” he warned.
Despite the heavy police presence, protesters are signaling a willingness to escalate if state authorities do not clamp down on undocumented migration.
“We merely want foreigners to comply with the laws of South Africa,” a Soweto resident told the BBC, noting she felt safe due to the police visibility.
An organizer from the anti-migrant group Operation Dudula struck a more aggressive tone, warning that if undocumented migrants did not leave, they would “push the police to do their job.”
The atmosphere of intimidation has triggered a massive regional migration crisis. Transit camps have spent weeks processing thousands of terrified migrants fleeing the threats. According to government data, more than 12,000 immigrants have been deported or repatriated since the current wave of protests began earlier this year.
Nigeria and other countries including countries including Malawi, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Ghana have scrambled to organize emergency air and bus repatriations. Around 3,500 foreigners have volunteered to leave out of fear for their safety.
On Tuesday, Nigeria’s presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga said President Tinubu has ordered the evacuation of more Nigerians from the country. The order comes after last week’s evacuation of 66 Nigerians.
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