A wave of anti-immigrant violence has forced hundreds of foreign nationals to flee their homes in several South African towns, with many now sheltering in public facilities or seeking assistance to return to their home countries.
Among them is 49-year-old Mozambican migrant Lado Amido, who said an angry crowd arrived at his home in Kleinmond, a coastal town in South Africa’s Western Cape province, demanding that foreigners leave the area.
According to Amido, the group went from house to house delivering the same ultimatum to immigrants living in the community.
“On the 31st, people came to my house, knocked on the door, and then took all my belongings,” he said.
Fearing for his safety, Amido fled into the nearby mountains, where he spent two nights before finding refuge at the Kleinmond Town Hall alongside approximately 100 other migrants from Mozambique, Malawi and other neighbouring countries.
The unrest forms part of a broader wave of anti-immigrant protests that have swept across parts of South Africa in recent weeks, with some demonstrations reportedly turning violent.
Mozambique’s government has confirmed that five of its citizens were killed in xenophobic attacks in the town of Mossel Bay over the weekend, heightening concerns about the safety of foreign nationals living in the country.
Immigrants Blamed for Economic Challenges
Xenophobic attacks have long been a recurring challenge in South Africa, where foreign nationals are frequently blamed for social and economic problems such as unemployment and crime.
Although there is no evidence linking immigrants directly to these issues, migration has increasingly become a contentious political topic, particularly ahead of local government elections scheduled later this year.
Addressing Parliament on Tuesday, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa condemned the recent violence while emphasising the need to address migration-related concerns.
“As we work to build a safer and more prosperous society, we need to address the challenge of migration,” he said.
Families Living in Fear
Grant Cohen, a ward councillor in Kleinmond, said immigration officials had recently conducted inspections of local businesses to identify undocumented workers.
However, he noted that many of the migrants currently sheltering in the town hall are legally resident in South Africa.
“We’ve got kids here at the moment who should be in school, who have been in school in Kleinmond, but now want to flee the country out of fear and intimidation,” Cohen said.
He criticised residents who had taken matters into their own hands and urged communities to allow law enforcement and immigration authorities to handle migration-related concerns.
“I don’t believe that residents should take things into their own hands,” he added.
Migrants Seek Way Home
Among those affected is 31-year-old Malawian national Michael Markson, who said he fled the informal settlement where he had been living after receiving warnings that foreigners were being targeted.
“My landlord came telling me that I should evacuate because if they find us, they’re going to kill us,” he recalled.
Markson spent a night hiding in the mountains and said he later watched from a distance as crowds of protesters moved through the town, some reportedly carrying knives and sticks.
A friend eventually contacted his employer, who provided food while they remained in hiding.
Now sheltering alongside other displaced migrants, Markson hopes to return to Malawi but lacks the financial means to fund the journey.
“In our country there’s no good economy, but it’s better than living in a community where your life is under threat,” he said.
Several foreign nationals are now seeking assistance through voluntary repatriation programmes organised by their governments as authorities work to restore calm in affected communities.
The latest violence has reignited concerns about xenophobia in South Africa and the vulnerability of migrant communities who have settled in the country in search of safety and economic opportunity.
