Growing anti-migrant tensions in South Africa have forced many foreign nationals to flee their homes after receiving threats of violence ahead of a self-imposed June 30 deadline issued by anti-immigration groups.
Kaunga Nyirenda, a Malawian gardener living in a Johannesburg suburb, said he was confronted by two men in early June who warned him to leave the country or face death.
“They told me, ‘When are you going to leave the country? We want to fix our country. If you don’t leave now, you’re going to leave in a coffin because we don’t need anyone after June 30, ‘” Nyirenda recounted. The threats come as anti-migrant groups, including March & March and Operation Dudula, intensify campaigns demanding the mass deportation of undocumented migrants. March & March has called for nationwide protests unless the government takes immediate action to remove illegal foreign nationals.
President Cyril Ramaphosa has condemned attacks on migrants, warning that authorities will not tolerate any attempts to destabilize the country through violence or unlawful protests. He stressed that attacks on foreign nationals do not reflect the values of South Africa or government policy, adding that security forces have been placed on high alert.
Meanwhile, police are investigating several deadly attacks on foreign nationals. Two Mozambican men were killed during violence in Mossel Bay in late May, where more than 50 homes in an informal settlement were destroyed by fire. The Mozambican government said five of its citizens died in what it described as xenophobic attacks.
Authorities are also probing the killing of a Malawian man who was allegedly attacked by a mob in an informal settlement near Pietermaritzburg. The incident forced hundreds of migrants to seek refuge in churches and mosques. As the June 30 deadline approaches, many migrants continue to leave communities across South Africa out of fear of further attacks. Videos circulating on social media, including one showing a man wielding a machete while counting down to the deadline, have heightened anxiety among foreign nationals.
The current wave of unrest stems from campaigns led by anti-migrant movements that accuse undocumented foreigners of contributing to crime, unemployment and pressure on public services. However, the government has maintained that grievances should be addressed through lawful means and has vowed to protect all residents from violence regardless of their nationality.
