Thousands of South Africans took to the streets in major cities on Tuesday demanding that undocumented migrants leave the country as police intensified security amid reports of alleged looting and attempted looting in Johannesburg and Durban.
The marches coincided with the 30 June deadline set by anti‑migrant groups for nationals of other African countries to depart, a campaign that has already seen many foreigners flee intimidation and violence.
Police say 25,000 people have been repatriated, most from neighbouring African states.
Authorities reported largely peaceful demonstrations, though isolated incidents disrupted Johannesburg and Durban.
Shops in central Johannesburg closed as police and private security increased visibility.
In Yeoville, protesters threw bricks and damaged homes, while five people were arrested for allegedly looting a foreign‑owned shop in Soweto.
Ten more arrests were made in KwaZulu‑Natal, alongside detentions for assaulting a police officer and intimidation linked to an attack on a foreign national.
Businesses in central Durban also shut as a police helicopter monitored the city.
President Cyril Ramaphosa met protest leaders on Monday in an effort to defuse tensions, urging demonstrators to remain peaceful while acknowledging the need for immigration reforms.
Some Soweto communities under the March and March campaign vowed to continue protests beyond the deadline unless government accelerates deportations and repatriations of undocumented migrants.
JN/APA