For months, anti-migrant rhetoric has been building across South Africa. In early June, two men gave Malawian gardener Kaunga Nyirenda a chilling ultimatum: leave now or face death. His experience reflects a broader surge in anti-immigrant sentiment, with protest groups and vigilantes staging demonstrations that have sparked violent attacks on foreign nationals blamed for taking jobs and straining public services.
The South African government has rejected the so-called “deadline” set by groups for foreigners to leave the country, as fears grow of a violent climax at the end of the month. One group, March & March, called for mass protests if its demands for “immediate and massive deportation of all illegal foreigners” are not met.
President Cyril Ramaphosa warned that the government “will not tolerate any attempts to destabilize the country by anyone,” condemning attacks on foreign nationals and blaming violence on “opportunists who are exploiting the legitimate grievances, particularly those of the poor, under the false guise of ‘community activism.’” Security forces are on high alert.
As tensions escalate, police have opened investigations into the murders of several foreign nationals. Two Mozambican men were killed in late May in Mossel Bay, where more than 50 shacks were burned. Mozambique later said five of its citizens died in what it described as “xenophobic attacks.” Authorities are also investigating the death of a Malawian man killed by a mob in Pietermaritzburg, forcing hundreds to seek shelter in churches and mosques.
The unrest is driven by groups like March & March and Operation Dudula, whose name in Zulu roughly translates as “push back” or “force out.” Another leading figure, Nkosikhona Ndabandaba, known as “Phakel’umthakathi,” has mobilized demonstrations featuring men in traditional Zulu warrior regalia and claims to be the architect of the June 30 deadline. He told CNN his campaign targets undocumented migrants and denied his supporters had engaged in violence.
South Africa’s Border Management Authority says more than 13,000 foreign nationals have been voluntarily repatriated or deported in the last fortnight. Ramaphosa acknowledged “the challenge of illegal immigration,” warning that undocumented migration places pressure on public services and “distorts the labor market,” but cautioned against making migrants scapegoats for economic hardships.
Attacks on foreign nationals are not new to South Africa, which has experienced repeated waves of xenophobic violence. More than 3 million immigrants live in the country, most from neighboring Southern African countries. The unemployment rate stood at 32% in the first quarter of 2026, with young people hardest hit. Anti-immigrant resentment has long focused on migrants from Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Malawi, Ghana, and Nigeria.
Tonye Irims, who runs solar energy companies in Nigeria and South Africa, described the violence as “heavily racialized and classed,” noting that wealthier foreigners and White residents are rarely targeted. He said anger toward the White minority is largely expressed through legal channels, while Black African migrants bear the brunt of street-level violence.
For Malawian gardener Nyirenda, the protests are “hypocritical” because they selectively target Black African migrants. Despite having made South Africa his home for 16 years, the 38-year-old told CNN he has decided to return to Malawi.
