Overview
- Organised anti‑migration groups including March and March and Operation Dudula set an extralegal deadline for undocumented migrants to leave and vowed continued weekly protests after the June 30 action.
- South African authorities say more than 25,000 foreign nationals have left or been deported in recent weeks and at least four migrants were killed in the run‑up to the deadline.
- Police imposed a national leave ban and large deployments were sent to Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town as ministers publicly condemned vigilantism and promised tougher immigration measures.
- Several African governments have organised evacuation flights and buses for their citizens, producing long lines at consulates and border crossings and creating urgent shelter and transport bottlenecks.
- Experts note migrants make up about 5% of the population and are not the root cause of South Africa's high unemployment and failing services, but the protests exploit deep economic frustration and weaken social cohesion ahead of local elections.