South Africa deployed thousands of police officers Tuesday as major demonstrations over illegal immigration escalated into destructive confrontations in several cities.
The unrest drew thousands of demonstrators and came ahead of a June 30 deadline announced by some organizers calling for all undocumented migrants to leave the country, Reuters reported.
The marches were said to include large numbers of poor and unemployed South Africans, many of whom argue that foreign migrants undercut local workers by accepting lower pay and contribute to rising crime.
At least four people have died as violence and looting spread nationwide, according to Reuters.
Anti-immigrant demonstrators march through Johannesburg on June 30, 2026, the day of an unofficial deadline set by anti-immigrant groups for all illegal migrants to leave South Africa. (REUTERS/Oupa Nkosi)
The clashes represent the country’s most significant migration-related unrest since a wave of anti-migrant violence in 2008.
Reuters reported that thousands of foreign nationals from other African countries had already left before Tuesday’s self-imposed deadline, though tensions remained elevated.
Reports also indicated that businesses and properties were damaged in multiple locations.
In anticipation of further attacks, many shops reportedly closed, with foreign workers staying home.
Landlords in Durban and Johannesburg also evicted foreign tenants illegally to avoid further trouble, witnesses alleged.
Reuters added that 100 Congolese nationals were reported sleeping on the streets of Durban.
Protesters stand with wooden sticks near a fire burning in the street in Johannesburg, South Africa, on June 30, 2026. (Reuters)
While many marches were considered peaceful, police reported that they arrested several looters and fired rubber bullets to disperse crowds.
National broadcaster SABC added that protesters looted shacks belonging to foreign nationals in the Soweto township.
In Thembisa, a suburb of Johannesburg, rioters reportedly threw stones at police and suspected migrants, with witnesses saying sporadic gunfire was heard.
Police deployed tactical vehicles and fired shots in Benoni, east of Johannesburg, after being confronted by a group of roughly 500 protesters, Daily Maverick reported.
Thousands of police officers have been deployed nationwide, while the military was placed on standby, a defense spokesperson said in a statement.
“To those who intend to break the law tomorrow, our message is simple: do not test the resolve of the State,” Lt. Gen. Tebello Mosikili said.
Protesters start a fire in the streets of Johannesburg, South Africa, on June 30, 2026. (Reuters)
The “March and March” group, one of the more prominent organizations behind the unrest, addressed the violence, saying it cannot be held responsible for spontaneous incidents breaking out during the demonstrations.
“Unfortunately, we can’t be in every single community telling them … how to behave,” Jacinta Ngobese, leader of the March and March group, told Reuters two weeks ago.
Ngobese said the group plans to hold weekly marches until its demands are met, despite the government rejecting the deadline and saying only authorities can enforce immigration laws.
“For the next six months, we are asking for our national resources to be used to take the illegal immigrants out of this country. From building to building — they must go,” Ngobese said, according to ZimLive.
Despite South Africa’s high unemployment rate, the country remains Africa’s largest economy and continues to draw migrants.
The immigrant population stands at about 3 million, or roughly 4% of the total, according to StatsSA.
