DistantNews
Support us
🇦🇹 Austria /Culture & Society

Over 160,000 Foreigners Leave South Africa Amid Fears of Xenophobic Violence

From Der Standard · () German

Translated from German, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News From a news agency Outcome reported
  • Over 160,000 foreigners have left South Africa in the past two months due to fears of xenophobic violence.
  • The majority of those departing are from Zimbabwe and Malawi, with citizens from other African nations also leaving in large numbers.
  • The exodus follows calls for the expulsion of irregular migrants made during demonstrations up to the end of June.

Fears of xenophobic violence have prompted more than 160,000 foreign nationals to leave South Africa over the last two months. The significant outflow of people, primarily from Zimbabwe and Malawi, underscores rising tensions and insecurity within the country.

According to an AFP tally based on information from foreign governments, citizens from Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Mozambique, Nigeria, and Uganda have also departed South Africa in substantial numbers. This wave of departures indicates a widespread unease among foreign communities residing in the nation.

The exodus occurred in the wake of demonstrations held up to the end of June, during which calls for the expulsion of irregular migrants were prominent. The heightened anti-immigrant sentiment appears to have created an environment where many foreigners feel compelled to seek safety elsewhere.

DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Der Standard in German. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

More Stories

From Our Blog