South Africa anti‑immigrant protests kill four, displace thousands

A wave of anti‑immigrant protests has swept South Africa, resulting in at least four deaths and the forced eviction of thousands of migrants from their homes. Demonstrators have blocked hospitals and health centers, and have driven many foreign residents onto the streets or into makeshift camps. The unrest is led by two groups – Operation Dudula, which began in the early 2020s targeting undocumented migrants, and a self‑styled grassroots movement that uses Zulu nationalist symbols and chants “Abahambe!” (“Let them go”).

The campaigns unfold against a backdrop of extreme inequality and high unemployment in South Africa, where the Gini coefficient stands at 0.63 and official unemployment is 32 %. Protesters claim they are protecting local jobs and women, but investigations show that even a complete removal of foreign workers would not substantially lower unemployment. Several African governments have organized mass evacuations of their citizens from South Africa amid the violence.