Anti-migrant sentiment in South Africa has escalated, with groups like March and March, as well as political parties such as ActionSA, setting a June 30 deadline for undocumented migrants to leave the country. Protesters, often armed with whips, machetes, and sticks, are engaging in door-to-door intimidation, forcing many foreigners, regardless of their legal status, to flee their homes. Esnat Joseph, a 36-year-old Malawian woman, described being told to leave by ten armed South African men and is now seeking refuge with thousands of others, mainly Malawians, in an open field near Durban. These actions are driven by growing hardship, including a 32.7% unemployment rate in South Africa, which saw 350,000 job losses in the first quarter of 2026, disproportionately affecting young people.
The situation has turned violent, with reports of fatalities and widespread destruction. In Mossel Bay, anti-migrant vigilantes set fire to over 50 shacks, and at least two Mozambican migrants were found dead with multiple injuries, though Mozambique's government reported five deaths from these attacks and over 800 of its citizens being targeted. South African police arrested 40,000 illegal immigrants this year for contravening the Immigration Act, but many foreigners with valid documents are also being targeted by these mobs. President Cyril Ramaphosa has condemned the "scapegoating of vulnerable people" and warned against xenophobia, stating that no group has the right to demand proof of nationality in public spaces.
Fearing for their safety, thousands of migrants are voluntarily repatriating to their home countries. Ghana has already airlifted approximately 300 of its citizens, with more evacuations planned. Mozambique is assisting hundreds of its citizens to return home, and Nigeria and Malawi also have plans to help their nationals. Approximately 3,500 foreigners have volunteered to leave through organized repatriations by air or bus. South Africa's appeal as an economic hub for migrant workers belies the deep-seated hostility, with a 2025 survey showing over 40% of respondents wanting no immigrants, the highest level recorded since 2003. This current wave of protests risks repeating the xenophobic violence seen in 2008, 2015, 2016, and 2019, which claimed dozens of lives.
