South Africa Arrests 900 Amid Violent Anti-Immigrant Protests

The South African Police Service (SAPS) arrested more than 900 people and deployed military support to manage nationwide anti-illegal immigration protests that peaked on June 30, 2026. The unrest was triggered by an unauthorized deadline set by civic groups, including March and March and Operation Dudula, demanding that undocumented foreign nationals leave the country. While authorities report that 108 of the 120 marches remained peaceful, 12 escalated into violence, looting, and robbery.

Fatalities were reported in Johannesburg's Alexandra township, where one person was shot dead, and in Durban, where a foreign national died after jumping from a building. In other regions, looters targeted foreign-owned businesses, and civilians in Germiston conducted illegal documentation checks and forced removals. The violence prompted the governments of Ghana, Mozambique, and Liberia to evacuate their citizens, while approximately 25,000 migrants sought repatriation, including over 12,000 through the Beitbridge border.

In the Eastern Cape, police conducted preemptive operations resulting in 143 arrests of undocumented migrants. Provincial Commissioner Vuyisile Ncata emphasized that no community structure has the authority to enforce immigration laws. President Cyril Ramaphosa rejected the activists' deadline, asserting that immigration enforcement is the sole responsibility of the state. Human rights organizations, including Amnesty International South Africa, condemned the movement, arguing that migrants are being scapegoated for government failures in public services and the asylum system.