Thousands March Demanding Illegal Immigrants Go Home

Thousands of South Africans took to the streets in several cities on Tuesday, demanding that undocumented immigrants leave the country. The marches marked the culmination of a weeks-long campaign that has led to thousands of migrants fleeing and resulted in at least four deaths.

The nationwide protests were organized by a loose coalition of small political parties and civilian patrol groups. They had set an unofficial June 30 deadline for all undocumented foreign nationals to depart South Africa. In Johannesburg, the country's financial hub, thousands participated, leading to business closures and disruptions in transportation.

Demonstrators carried flags and banners, marching under police observation. In Durban, protesters donned traditional Zulu warrior attire, carrying spears and shields. Organizers expressed frustration over difficulties in securing business premises and accused immigrants of engaging in criminal activities, such as drug dealing. They urged the president to enforce stricter laws.

While police reported that most protests were peaceful, isolated incidents of looting and attempted robbery occurred. South Africa, despite being one of Africa's wealthiest nations, grapples with over 30% unemployment, high crime rates, and deteriorating public services, creating fertile ground for anti-immigrant sentiment.

“

Undocumented immigrants can afford rent because they sell drugs to our people. I hope through this demonstration, our president will hear our pleas and enforce stricter laws.