They must leave. But the paperwork doesn't move fast enough.
Police and military assets are patrolling major cities including Johannesburg, where shopkeepers closed businesses in anticipation of June 30 protests. Vigilante groups have set a deadline for undocumented migrants to leave; five Mozambicans have already been killed in recent weeks of escalating harassment.
- Police and military deployed across South Africa ahead of June 30 anti-immigration marches
- 62 people killed in 2008 anti-migrant riots; 5 Mozambicans killed in recent weeks
- Foreign-born residents comprise 4% of South Africa's 62 million population
- Dozens of Malawians camped outside consulate in Johannesburg awaiting repatriation
South African authorities have deployed police and military units nationwide ahead of planned anti-immigration demonstrations, citing fears of violence similar to 2008 riots that killed 62 people.
South Africa's government has positioned police and military units across the country's major cities ahead of demonstrations scheduled for June 30, bracing for the kind of violence that erupted in 2008, when anti-migrant riots killed 62 people. In Johannesburg, the nation's economic heart, security personnel have been visible patrolling the central business district. Shopkeepers made the calculation that staying closed on Tuesday was safer than remaining open. Military trucks and equipment have appeared on streets, a visible reminder of what authorities fear could unfold.
The demonstrations have been organized by anti-migration vigilante groups, most prominently one called March and March, which has set an informal deadline of June 30 for undocumented foreigners to leave the country. The group's leader, Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma, has publicly stated that the marches will be peaceful and that no violence or looting will occur in their name. Yet the distinction between documented and undocumented migrants has blurred in practice. Foreign nationals with proper papers have reported being targeted and harassed regardless of their legal status.
The weeks leading up to this deadline have already been marked by escalating violence. Men carrying sticks and chanting "abahambe"—an isiZulu and isiXhosa phrase meaning "they must leave"—have moved through shops in Johannesburg and Durban, interrogating migrants and, in some cases, beating them. Five Mozambican nationals have been killed in these incidents, according to statements from Mozambique's government. The violence has largely proceeded without effective police intervention, drawing criticism that authorities have been slow to respond.
The narrative driving these demonstrations rests on a claim that migrants are taking jobs and resources from South Africans. Yet the actual numbers tell a different story. Foreign-born residents make up roughly 4 percent of South Africa's 62 million people, though some estimates place the figure much higher at 15 to 20 million. Crime statistics show that foreigners commit only a small fraction of the country's crimes, undermining the central argument of the protest organizers. In a nation with one of the world's highest unemployment rates and where wealth remains heavily concentrated among the white minority, migrants have become a convenient scapegoat for broader economic frustrations.
Many of these migrants come from neighboring countries where economic conditions have deteriorated. They work primarily in the informal sector, taking jobs that offer survival but little security. President Cyril Ramaphosa has issued statements condemning xenophobia and intolerance, declaring there is no place for racism or Afrophobia in the country. Yet his words have not translated into visible action that might prevent the violence from continuing.
The deadline has already prompted neighboring governments to act. Nigeria, Ghana, Malawi, and Uganda have begun repatriating their citizens, moving hundreds of people out of South Africa before June 30. But the process has been chaotic and incomplete. Outside the Malawian consulate in Johannesburg, dozens of nationals have been camped in cold conditions, waiting for processing and transport. They are caught between the threat of violence at home and the bureaucratic delays of escape, their situation a stark illustration of what the deadline has set in motion.
Notable Quotes
We are not calling for violence. No one will be killed on 30 June and no looting will take place in our name.— Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma, leader of March and March
There is no place for racism, sexism, tribalism, xenophobia, Afrophobia or any other form of intolerance.— President Cyril Ramaphosa
The Hearth Conversation Another angle on the story
Why would a government deploy military units for what's supposed to be a peaceful march?
Because they've seen what happens when anti-migrant sentiment reaches a critical mass. In 2008, it turned into riots that killed 62 people. The government is trying to prevent that from happening again, but the very act of deploying forces signals that they expect things could spiral.
The organizers say they're focused only on undocumented migrants. Is that distinction meaningful?
Not really, in practice. The violence has already targeted people with proper documentation. Once a crowd forms around the idea that foreigners don't belong, the paperwork doesn't matter much. People see a face they perceive as foreign and react.
Four percent of the population is a small number. Why has this become such a flashpoint?
Because unemployment is severe and wealth inequality is extreme. When people are struggling, they look for someone to blame. Migrants are visible, they're different, and they're easier to target than the structural problems that actually created the crisis.
What happens to the people who are trying to leave before the deadline?
They're stuck in a nightmare. Their own governments are trying to get them out, but consulates are overwhelmed. You have people sleeping outside in the cold, waiting for paperwork to process, knowing that if they're still there when the deadline passes, they could be in real danger.
Has the police response so far been adequate?
No. The violence has been happening for weeks with relatively little intervention. That's part of why the government felt it needed to deploy forces now—they've essentially lost control of the situation on the ground.