South Africa on edge with anti-migrant protests underway
Skip next section Welcome to our coverage 06/30/2026 June 30, 2026 Welcome to our coverage Today marks a unilaterally imposed deadline by anti-immigration groups for
Skip next section Welcome to our coverage 06/30/2026 June 30, 2026 Welcome to our coverage 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.
The BriefWire