South Africa braces for anti-migrant protests
Tensions are rising ahead of planned anti-migrant protests on June 30, as South Africa's government warns against violence. Analysts say deep social and economic crises
Tensions are rising ahead of planned anti-migrant protests on June 30, as South Africa's government warns against violence. Analysts say deep social and economic crises are fueling unrest and xenophobia. South Africais on edge in the days leading up to planned anti-migrant demonstrations on June 30, with authorities warning against unrest and preparing for possible violence. President Cyril Ramaphosa issued a firm message as tensions escalated nationwide: "We will not tolerate any attempts to destabilise the country by anyone, whether marching or otherwise," Ramaphosa said. The protests have been called by groups including "March and March" and others campaigning against undocumented migration. These organizations have set an informal deadline for migrants without legal status to leave the country, raising fears of renewed xenophobic violence in a nation that has experienced repeated outbreaks since the end of apartheid in 1994. Minister of Police Firoz Cachalia emphasized that while peaceful protest is protected under South Africa's constitution, 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. Government admits delayed response Cachalia also acknowledged that authorities reacted too slowly to rising tensions and xenophobic rhetoric. "We have hesitated too long to speak out clearly on this issue. There is no reason why anyone should come to a demonstration with any object that could be used as a weapon," he said. Recent weeks have seen a surge in attacks on foreign nationals. Vigilante groups, often linked to right-wing populist rhetoric, have raided neighborhoods, looted businesses owned by migrants, and intimidated those suspected of being foreigners.
While these groups claim to target undocumented migrants, in practice, their actions frequently affect anyone perceived as an outsider, including people of African or Asian origin, regardless of their legal status. Several African countries, including Nigeria, Ghana and Malawi, have been forced to evacuate their citizens. Foreigners flee South Africa after anti-migrant protests To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Migration itself has grown steadily over decades. According to Statistics South Africa, migrants made up 2.1% of the population in 1996. By 2022, that figure had risen to 3.9%, or about 2.4 million people, including both documented and undocumented residents. Is this a crisis of the government's own making? Analysts point to deeper structural problems behind the unrest. Political commentator Tessa Dooms argues that the current crisis reflects longstanding governance failures. "The South African government has largely created this dilemma for itself," she told DW. President Ramaphosa on Friday reiterated the importance of regional cooperation, stressing that no country can prosper alone. Dooms described a pattern in which authorities delay action on major challenges such as unemployment, public services, and poverty. "It ignores problems, tolerates corruption, allows decay to worsen, and only reacts once the situation has reached its peak," she explained. According to her, the government underestimated movements such as "March and March" and "Operation Dudula," particularly their ability to mobilize across diverse social groups. "They [government] are unprepared; they are misanalyzing the problem. They believe it is merely an anti-migrant movement, whereas in reality, migration is being offered as a solution for people facing a multitude of other crises," Dooms added.
The BriefWire