South Africa Anti-Immigration Protests Turn Violent Amid Looting in Johannesburg, Durban

Large-scale demonstrations against illegal immigration swept across South Africa on Tuesday, with thousands of people taking to the streets in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal as tensions escalated into incidents of looting, arson and violence in several communities.

The protests coincided with the 30 June deadline set by the anti-immigration movement March and March, which had demanded that the government intensify action against undocumented migrants. Rights groups have previously expressed concern that vigilante groups often fail to distinguish between documented and undocumented foreign nationals.

According to GroundUp, authorities deployed significant police resources to areas identified as potential flashpoints. Despite the heavy security presence, protest organisers reportedly struggled to maintain order as some groups broke away from planned routes, leading to clashes and criminal activity.

In Johannesburg, thousands assembled at Beyers Naude Square before splinter groups moved into surrounding neighbourhoods. Violence later erupted in Yeoville, where reports indicated that public toilets were set ablaze, homes were looted and vandalised, stones were thrown, and several bystanders were assaulted. Journalists covering the unrest were also reportedly targeted. Similar disturbances were recorded in Germiston.

Meanwhile, hundreds of displaced Malawian nationals gathered outside their country’s consulate in Woodmead while awaiting repatriation. One of them, freelance technician Beck Promise Chitsulo, said economic hardship in Malawi had driven him to South Africa, adding that both governments had failed to provide opportunities for their citizens.

In Pretoria, more than 600 demonstrators marched from Church Square to the Sunnyside Police Station under police escort, submitting a memorandum calling for stronger action against undocumented immigration. Later in the day, police fired stun grenades after a crowd attempted to enter a residential building occupied by foreign nationals.

Durban witnessed one of the largest turnouts, with thousands converging in the city centre. Many businesses remained closed as protesters marched carrying sticks, knobkieries and sjamboks despite police instructions prohibiting weapons. Some participants wore MK Party regalia, while others said they were also protesting government corruption and unemployment. eThekwini Mayor Cyril Xaba received the protesters’ memorandum, although his address was repeatedly interrupted by chants from sections of the crowd.

Cape Town remained comparatively calm, although many businesses in the CBD shut their doors and Greenmarket Square was largely deserted. More than 100 demonstrators marched to the provincial legislature, while a separate anti-xenophobia group staged a peaceful counter-protest outside St George’s Cathedral. In Kraaifontein, police used rubber bullets to disperse a large crowd after tensions escalated.

The demonstrations highlight growing frustration over unemployment and immigration, while renewed outbreaks of violence have raised concerns about the safety of foreign nationals and the potential for further unrest across South Africa.