JOHANNESBURG, South Africa — Foreign workers and migrant-owned businesses in South Africa are again facing violence as anti-immigrant protests intensify in several communities, with shops owned by foreign nationals looted and residents blaming migrants for unemployment, crime and pressure on public services.
Recent unrest has affected parts of KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng and other provinces, where groups of residents have targeted small shops believed to be owned by migrants. In Estcourt, KwaZulu-Natal, footage showed crowds ransacking shops as owners fled or closed their businesses. Al Jazeera reported that foreign workers are under renewed pressure from anti-immigration groups demanding that undocumented migrants leave the country by June 30.
The protests are being driven by long-running frustration over South Africa’s economic crisis. The country’s unemployment rate remains above 30 percent, and many residents accuse undocumented migrants of taking jobs, operating businesses illegally and placing strain on clinics, schools and housing. Migrant-rights groups say foreign nationals are being used as scapegoats for deeper failures in governance, job creation and policing.
Human Rights Watch warned earlier this month that vigilante groups had carried out new waves of xenophobic attacks against African and Asian foreign nationals, with what it described as an insufficient response from police and authorities. The rights group said South Africa has faced repeated outbreaks of xenophobic violence since 2008, when 62 people were killed in attacks on migrants and South Africans mistaken for foreigners.
The latest tensions have already prompted diplomatic action. Ghana has begun voluntarily repatriating citizens from South Africa after reports of attacks and intimidation. Nearly 300 Ghanaians were flown home this week, while more than 800 have registered for evacuation, according to Ghanaian officials.
South African authorities have condemned xenophobic violence while also promising to address illegal immigration through lawful channels. But critics say official rhetoric around migration has often emboldened anti-foreigner groups.
Anti-immigration organisations, including March and March and Operation Dudula, have staged protests demanding stricter enforcement and mass deportations. A march in Johannesburg last month forced many shops to close over fears of looting.
For many migrants, the renewed violence has revived memories of past attacks that destroyed livelihoods and forced thousands to flee. For South Africa, the crisis reflects a dangerous mix of economic desperation, weak law enforcement and rising nationalism. Without firm action to protect communities and prosecute violence, rights groups warn the unrest could spread further.
