DRC: 121 nationals repatriated after xenophobic violence in South Africa

The Democratic Republic of Congo announced the repatriation of 121 citizens from South Africa, marking the first group to return following a wave of xenophobic violence. The Congolese Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that the group, including women and children, arrived in Kinshasa on a voluntary repatriation flight. This operation comes in response to xenophobic violence that has targeted foreigners in South Africa.

South Africa has been experiencing weeks of protests and unrest directed at undocumented immigrants, prompting tens of thousands to flee the country. An estimated 150,000 foreigners from various African nations, including Ghana, Nigeria, Malawi, Mozambique, Uganda, and Zimbabwe, have left South Africa in recent weeks, according to AFP figures. The situation has led to condemnation from Nigeria and Ghana, who have called for urgent, coordinated regional responses to address the root causes of anti-immigrant tensions.

South Africa, the continent's largest economy, has long been a destination for African workers, both documented and undocumented. However, the country has a history of recurring xenophobic violence, with significant outbreaks dating back to 2008, when dozens of migrants were killed and thousands displaced. Currently, an estimated 3 million foreigners, representing 5.1% of the population, reside in South Africa. Just days prior, South African police arrested 69 individuals after a protest against migrants escalated into looting and violence in the country's south.