JOHANNESBURG, South Africa (Horn post) — South African authorities deployed police forces across major cities Tuesday amid growing fears that planned anti-immigrant protests could escalate into violence, as President Cyril Ramaphosa urged demonstrators to avoid intimidation and unrest.
The demonstrations coincide with an unofficial deadline set by anti-immigration activist groups demanding that undocumented foreign nationals leave South Africa, intensifying tensions in a country long grappling with xenophobic violence.
Police presence was significantly increased in major urban centers including Johannesburg and Durban, where several businesses closed as a precaution ahead of planned marches. Authorities reported that streets near protest gathering points remained under heavy security surveillance.
South African police said at least five people were arrested in Soweto, Johannesburg, after being accused of looting a shop owned by a foreign national. Another five suspects were arrested in Hammarsdale, located in KwaZulu-Natal province, following a separate break-in targeting a migrant-owned business.
President Ramaphosa repeatedly called for calm, emphasizing that while immigration reform remains necessary, foreign nationals legally residing in South Africa must be protected under the law.
“Some foreign nationals living in South Africa are here legally. They work, study, raise families, invest in our economy and contribute positively to our communities. They are entitled to the protection of our laws and constitution,” Ramaphosa said in his weekly public address.
He warned that constitutional rights to protest and freedom of expression do not permit threats, intimidation, destruction of property or acts of violence.
South Africa officially hosts more than three million registered foreign nationals, though authorities estimate thousands more undocumented migrants remain in the country, fueling political and social tensions surrounding migration policy.
The protests have triggered widespread fear among migrant communities, with thousands seeking temporary shelter or preparing for voluntary repatriation. Government officials said more than 12,000 migrants have been deported or repatriated since anti-immigrant tensions began escalating earlier this year.
Countries including Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, Zimbabwe and Ghana have recently coordinated efforts to evacuate citizens, with approximately 3,500 foreign nationals voluntarily agreeing to return home.
Activists from anti-immigration groups, including the controversial Operation Dudula movement, said they would continue pressuring authorities to enforce immigration laws more aggressively.
South Africa has experienced repeated outbreaks of xenophobic violence over the past decade, with tensions over immigration remaining one of the country’s most politically sensitive and socially divisive issues.
Prepared by:
Horn post staff
Hargeisa, Somaliland
