South African security agencies reported that over 25,000 undocumented foreign nationals have returned home recently. This shift occurs as citizen-led movements demand that migrants exit the nation by June 30. Fearing violence, thousands have flocked to temporary shelters in Johannesburg, Durban, and Cape Town while awaiting transit.
Authorities from countries like Malawi, Nigeria, Ghana, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique are facilitating voluntary travel to evacuate their citizens. The National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (NATJOINTS) confirmed that specialized security units remain on high alert. These measures follow weeks of civil unrest, which include house-to-house inspections and marches that resulted in four deaths—specifically two Mozambicans, one Ethiopian, and one Malawian.
President Cyril Ramaphosa has pledged to maintain order amid these xenophobic disruptions. While anti-immigration groups argue that migrants threaten job security and safety, researchers suggest these vigilante actions divert focus from broader economic failures and high unemployment rates. Similar cycles of hostility have historically plagued South Africa, most notably during the 2008 riots that claimed 62 lives.
