A foreign national has been beaten to death by a mob of about 50 people in Durban, South Africa, amid growing anti-migrant tensions and recurring violence targeting foreigners.
Police said the victim, believed to be in his late 30s or early 40s, was attacked in the city centre on Thursday, during a march whose organisers and purpose were not immediately established.
According to a police statement, two men from the group initially approached the victim, who was standing by the roadside, before he was allegedly assaulted by about 50 people.
“The victim was then assaulted by a group of about 50 people and he was declared dead at the scene,” the statement said.
The victim’s nationality and the motive for the attack were not immediately known.
The killing comes amid months of demonstrations against foreign nationals in Durban, a major port city that has become a focal point of anti-migrant protests.
On Wednesday, drivers working for e-hailing services marched in the same area in a demonstration involving the March and March movement, which has organised protests against illegal migration across South Africa in recent months.
The latest incident follows unrest in Durban two weeks ago, when security forces were deployed to the city centre as police struggled to contain two days of rioting and looting targeting foreign nationals.
During the violence, 14 vehicles were set ablaze, while businesses were looted or torched.
The unrest has revived concerns over xenophobic violence in South Africa, where previous waves of anti-foreigner attacks have forced tens of thousands of nationals from other African countries to flee earlier this year.
Thursday’s killing adds to mounting concerns about the safety of migrants as protests against foreigners continue in parts of the country.
