South Africa anti‑migrant unrest forces mass departure of 160,000 foreigners

Violent anti‑migrant protests and vigilante attacks in South Africa have driven more than 160,000 foreign nationals to leave the country since late May. Four migrants – an Ethiopian, a Malawian and two Mozambicans – were killed in the violence. The largest repatriations have been to Zimbabwe (about 108,000 people) and Malawi (around 47,000), with additional returns to Mozambique, Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The exodus has sparked diplomatic tension, as Nigeria and Ghana have asked the African Union to address the surge in "Afrophobia". South African authorities blame undocumented workers for crime and unemployment, while analysts say political groups are exploiting migrants to deflect from broader economic and governance challenges.