Thousands of people from other African countries have fled South Africa, sleeping in makeshift camps and hiding in the bush, after vigilante groups set an unofficial deadline for undocumented migrants to leave. The unrest, which has left at least two dead and prompted evacuations by Nigeria and Ghana, has revived painful memories of earlier waves of xenophobic violence that have erupted periodically since 2008.
The current campaign is loosely fronted by groups such as March and March, led by former radio presenter Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma, and Operation Dudula, which has previously tried to obstruct undocumented immigrants from accessing healthcare and schooling. The Zulu activist Nkosikhona Ndabandaba, who has more than 1.5 million Facebook followers, has led large crowds through the streets wearing traditional tribal garb. President Cyril Ramaphosa has warned that protesters should act without “intimidation, threats or ultimatums,” and reminded citizens that the right to protest does not allow people to threaten others or engage in violence. He has also acknowledged the need for immigration reforms while stressing that foreign nationals who are in South Africa lawfully contribute positively to society and are entitled to the protection of the constitution.
“Why anti-immigrant violence is surging in South Africa – and what it means for UK readers.”
South Africa is home to more than three million documented foreign nationals, according to official figures. The current unrest was sparked by a grassroots campaign that began in early May, demanding that undocumented migrants leave the country. In the Sherwood suburb of Durban, a field beside a mosque that initially held around five dozen Malawians now contains around 10,000 terrified migrants from various African countries, living in makeshift tents. After false rumours that they were being given accommodation rather than deported, the camp came under attack from rioters who had to be dispersed with rubber bullets. Homes have been torched and businesses looted; vigilantes have gone door to door demanding papers.
For UK readers, the situation in South Africa offers a stark warning about the dangers of anti-immigrant rhetoric spiralling into violence. Britain has already seen its own eruption of anti-migrant violence in Belfast earlier in 2026, where a Sudanese asylum seeker was accused of a knife attack, and images of burnt-out housing and African nurses being apprehended at checkpoints drew comparisons to the South African crackdown. The UK is grappling with its own tensions around immigration and multiculturalism, and the South African example shows how quickly vigilante action can overwhelm state authority. As President Ramaphosa noted, some foreign nationals are in the country lawfully, work, study, raise families and invest in the economy, but they are being made scapegoats for economic pain.
Q: Why are anti-immigrant protests happening in South Africa now? The protests are driven by grassroots groups that blame undocumented migrants for the country’s economic problems. The campaign began in early May 2026 and has escalated, with an unofficial deadline of 30 June for undocumented migrants to leave.
Q: How many people have been affected? Thousands of migrants from countries including Malawi, Nigeria and Ghana have fled South Africa. There are more than three million documented foreign nationals in the country. In Durban alone, around 10,000 people have been sheltering in a makeshift camp.
Q: Has there been violence? Yes. Homes and businesses have been torched and looted, and at least two people have died. The Malawian government claims the death toll is five. Vigilantes have gone door to door demanding papers, and rioters attacked a migrant camp in Durban, leading police to fire rubber bullets.
What happens next is uncertain. The vigilante deadline of 30 June has passed, but it remains unclear what actions the groups will take. President Ramaphosa has called for peaceful protest and immigration reform, while other African countries continue to evacuate their citizens. The situation could escalate further or de-escalate depending on state responses and the actions of the vigilante groups.