Anti-immigrant protesters in South Africa demand undocumented foreigners leave by Tuesday

Pretoria, South Africa. Protesters have told all undocumented foreigners to leave South Africa by Tuesday ahead of anti-immigrant rallies that many fear could turn violent. Thousands of foreign Africans are leaving the country or gathering in camps out of fear of attack, although the group organising the protests, March and March, says it is peaceful.

Protesters’ complaints

Anti-foreigner groups say South Africa is overrun with illegal immigrants who take jobs from South Africans, strain limited public services and are responsible for high crime rates.

On June 24, Musa Hlongwa, president of the anti-migrant civil group United South Africa, told journalists that South Africans were tired of standing in long hospital queues, competing for places in public schools with illegal immigrants, competing for jobs with foreign nationals, and, in his words, “tired of Nigerians who are selling drugs to youth of this country.”

Public sentiment

The article says three surveys conducted last year showed a rise in anti-immigrant sentiment in South Africa.

A Human Sciences Research Council poll found South Africans were more hostile toward immigrants than before, with only one in six adults saying they would welcome all foreigners and 42% saying they would welcome none, up from one-third in 2021.