South Africa on edge with anti-migrant protests underway

South Africa‘s Ministry of Police has issued an interim report on the anti-immigrant protests, reporting “incidents of looting and attempted looting” in what it described as “largely peaceful” demonstrations.

The authorities said several people were arrested.

The ministry said police were on “high alert” and out in force to “ensure public safety, protect businesses and critical infrastructure and maintain law and order.”

Deputy police minister Firoz Chachalia warned that those who use the protests as a chance to commit “crimes will face the full might of the law.”

“Police will continue to identify, arrest, and prosecute all those responsible for criminal conduct,” he added.

South African police have deployed in large numbers to ensure security at the planned anti-immigrant protests amid fears of possible looting and violence.

Firoz Cachalia, the country’s police minister, has emphasized that any unlawful actions will be met with force.

He said crime, intimidation, violence, destruction of property and any attempt to undermine public safety will not be tolerated.

This comes as thousands of people, mostly from Malawi and Zimbabwe, gathered in Cape Town and Johannesburg are still waiting for assistance to return to their home countries.

Some have said they have been evicted from their homes or fired from their jobs by landlords or employers who fear reprisal from vigilante groups.

Several African governments have, for the first time ever, organized planes or buses to repatriate their citizens ahead of the unauthorized June 30 deadline set by anti-immigrant groups for undocumented foreign nationals.

South Africa has seen some deadly flare-ups of violence in the past targeting undocumented foreign nationals, with 62 people killed in riots in 2008.

Analysts DW spoke to argue that the anti-migrant unrest is not really about migration itself but reflects deeper structural problems in South Africa.

It includes deeper issues such as high unemployment, inequality and public frustration with governance.

They say delayed government action, weak policing and corruption have worsened the situation.

DW has asked them whether the crisis is one of the government’s own making.

Thousands of African migrants have been hounded out of South Africa by anti-migrant groups who blame the foreigners for “stealing jobs.” The consequences: Brand South Africa is hurting.

The Johannesburg city center and surrounding areas are unusually quiet.

Shops are closed along the main roads in Fordsburg and Newtown.

The popular shopping center Oriental Plaza is also closed, as are many other other shops in downtown Johannesburg.

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Store owners appear less than confident as Johannesburg  braces for anti-migrant protests, despite assurances from the South African police and government that today will be a normal day.

Police were gathering at a staging ground in Mayfair, in the south of Johannesburg, in preparation for anti-immigrant marches due to take place today.

There are two events planned for South Africa’s biggest city, one in Johannesburg’s city center and one in the densely-populated neighborhood of Hillbrow.

Acting police commissioner Puleng Dimpane told DW:

“We are ready for today. We are ready to keep this country safe.”

President Cyril Ramaphosa urged those planning to protest to do so peacefully.

In his weekly newsletter, published a day ahead of Tuesday’s demonstrations, he acknowledged public concerns about “illegal immigration, border management, pressure on public services, criminal syndicates that exploit our immigration system and the impact these challenges have on communities.”

However, Ramaphosa emphasized that the constitutional right to protest does not permit violence, intimidation or vandalism.

“Freedom comes with responsibility,” he wrote.

The South African president also rejected vigilantism, saying immigration enforcement must remain the responsibility of lawful authorities.

Ramaphosa said the government is pursuing reforms, including stronger border management and anti-corruption measures.

He noted that many foreign nationals live and work legally in South Africa.

“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,” he said.

DW speaks with those people caught up in the anti-migrant rhetoric had been building across South Africa.

Protesters in South Africa are demanding undocumented foreigners leave by Tuesday, amid fears that planned anti-immigrant rallies could turn violent.

Citizen-led groups have backed the unofficial deadline after weeks of unrest, including attacks on migrant-owned businesses.

South Africa, one of Africa’s largest economies and a nation of some 65.5 million people, has long attracted migrants seeking work. Estimates put foreign-born residentsat between 2.4 to 3.1 million .

But unemployment in South Africa remains among the highest in the world, with about a third of people out of work and deep inequality fueling public anger.

Some activists blame migrants for crime and pressure on public services, though rights groups warn such claims risk inflaming tensions.

A Human Sciences Research Council poll conducted last year showed South Africans were more hostile towards immigrants than ever, with only one in six adults saying they would welcome ​all foreigners and 42% saying they would welcome none, up from a third in 2021.

Today marks a unilaterally imposed deadline by anti-immigration groups for all undocumented immigrants to leave South Africa.

Marches are planned in major cities across the country, with the main demonstration set to take place in Durban, in KwaZulu-Natal province.

March and March, the main organization behind the protests, said it is not calling for violence.

But tensions are high. Three people, including one Malawian and two Mozambican nationals, were killed in the lead-up to today’s “deadline” during recent anti-immigration protests.

There have also been reports of migrant parents and children being intimidated at schools by self-styled vigilantes. Some migrants have even been blocked from accessing hospitals.

The South African government has condemned the violent incidents and distanced itself from the deadline imposed by anti-immigration groups, However, it has also faced criticism from other African states and civil society groups for failing to stop the violence.

Several countries, including Nigeria, Ghana and Malawi, have helped repatriate citizens who say they no longer feel safe in South Africa.

DW will cover today’s developments with a team that includes correspondents in South Africa and Zimbabwe and elsewhere on the continent.