Hardline anti-immigrant groups enforce June 30 deadline as thousands flee South Africa
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Thousands march in South Africa demanding undocumented migrants leave
ContinuationHardline anti-immigrant groups enforce June 30 deadline as thousands flee South Africa
South Africa stands on the brink of further unrest as hardline anti-immigrant groups enforce a self-declared June 30 deadline for undocumented foreign nationals to leave the country, prompting mass departures and deepening a humanitarian crisis. Thousands of Congolese refugees in KwaZulu-Natal have already fled their homes and livelihoods, while Nigerian communities report a surge in xenophobic violence forcing returnees to Lagos and Abuja . Authorities and private security firms have escalated preparations, with Johannesburg businesses boarding up storefronts and deploying armed guards amid fears of escalating unrest .
The ultimatum, issued without legal basis by the group March and March, has triggered a wave of departures across southern Africa. In Cape Town, Zimbabwean construction workers described being forced to abandon jobs and savings, while Malawian traders shuttered stalls in Durban’s bustling markets . “There is no future for us here anymore,” said a Congolese refugee in Johannesburg, echoing sentiments shared by migrants from Somalia and Ethiopia who now sleep in makeshift camps to avoid detection .
The crisis has exposed fractures in South Africa’s immigration system, where expired work permits and bureaucratic delays have left tens of thousands in legal limbo. In Johannesburg, fathers from Lesotho and Mozambique have been separated from families after being denied permit renewals, with some choosing exile over detention . The government’s response remains inconsistent: while police have pledged to prevent violence, community leaders report collusion between officials and vigilante groups in some townships .
Regional governments are scrambling to respond. Zambia has opened temporary shelters for returnees, while Botswana tightened border controls after reports of South African vigilantes crossing into its territory . Analysts warn the crisis risks destabilising southern Africa’s fragile economic integration, with remittance flows from South Africa—critical for households in Zimbabwe and Mozambique—now under threat .
As the June 30 deadline passes, the focus shifts to whether the government will intervene to protect migrants or capitulate to populist pressure. With memories of the 2019 xenophobic riots still fresh, diplomats and NGOs are urging Pretoria to uphold constitutional protections for foreign nationals, even as the spectre of further violence looms over Africa’s most industrialised economy .
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