South Africa braces for anti-immigrant deadline as thousands flee, police deploy 10,000 officers

Deadline and exodus

An unofficial June 30 deadline for undocumented foreigners to leave South Africa, set by anti-immigrant groups including the March and March movement, has triggered a mass exodus. Authorities said on June 29 that more than 25,000 people had been repatriated in recent weeks, a sharp rise from the 15,000 Malawians reported a week earlier. In Durban, over 11,000 Malawians have gathered in a makeshift camp, waiting for buses to take them to the border post at Musina. Many have been there for days, sleeping on cardboard as aid groups distribute food and clothing.

The reason I would like to stay is I feel bad for my child. He's too young. When I'm gone who's going to support him?

Violence and fear

The deadline follows weeks of anti-immigrant protests that have turned deadly. At least four people have been killed, according to the National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (Natjoints): two Mozambicans, one Ethiopian and one Malawian. On June 19, a 29-year-old Malawian father was beaten to death in Pietermaritzburg in what local media described as an act of pure xenophobia. In Tembelihle, a Malawian resident was stabbed on June 29 after a community meeting that exposed deep divisions over migration.

They asked me: When are you leaving the country? We want to fix our country. If you don't leave now, you'll leave in a coffin, because we don't need anyone after June 30.

Government response

President Cyril Ramaphosa called on citizens to protest peacefully and warned that violence, intimidation and vigilantism would not be tolerated. Nearly 10,000 police officers have been deployed, along with drones, helicopters and crisis cells. The Department of Home Affairs has set up a tent in Durban to process deportations, though the immediate priority is moving people out of the city ahead of the planned protests. Natjoints said it had recorded 103 cases linked to anti-foreigner sentiment and arrested 195 suspects between March 1 and June 29.

We will not tolerate violence, intimidation and vigilantism.

Political undercurrents

The ruling African National Congress (ANC) has openly accused former president Jacob Zuma of backing the March and March movement. ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula said on June 25 that Zuma was pushing people toward chaos and anarchy. The spectre of the July 2021 riots, which killed more than 350 people after Zuma's imprisonment, hangs over the current crisis. South Africa's unemployment rate hit 31.4% in the first quarter of 2026, the highest in the world after Sudan, fuelling resentment against migrants who are blamed for crime and job scarcity.

Repatriation efforts

Several African governments have organised repatriation flights and buses. Nigeria's foreign affairs minister Bianca Ojukwu said an Air Peace plane would return more citizens on June 30, adding to the 60 evacuated earlier in June and 271 in May. Ghana has flown out 988 nationals, and Uganda announced plans to repatriate 746 citizens who registered for return. Malawi, Mozambique and Zimbabwe have also been evacuating their nationals. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu ordered that evacuations continue even after the deadline, ensuring no Nigerian who wants to leave is left behind.

The safety of our citizens abroad is a priority for our Renewed Hope Agenda. We are committed to protect our citizens outside national borders.