Anti-immigrant protests flare in Durban ahead of June 30 deadline

Anti-immigrant protesters marched in Durban on June 30, 2026, marking an unofficial deadline set by citizen-led groups for undocumented foreign nationals to leave South Africa. Members of the Zulu regiment known as the Amabutho chanted 'abahambe' (let them go) while carrying sticks and shields, as police deployed across Durban, Johannesburg and Cape Town to prevent violence and looting. Shops stayed shut, streets were quiet, and commuters moved under heavy police presence. The protests, driven by a loose coalition of minor parties and vigilante groups amplified by social media disinformation, come amid South Africa’s 30% unemployment rate and ahead of November local elections, which analysts say have been 'politically weaponised.' At least two Mozambicans, an Ethiopian and a Malawian have been killed in recent anti‑immigrant violence, and several African governments have organised repatriation flights and buses for their citizens. Uganda announced an evacuation plan for about 750 of its nationals, while thousands of Malawians and Zimbabweans gathered in Cape Town and Johannesburg awaiting transport home. Many cited evictions, job losses and fear of attacks as reasons to leave. Authorities warned against opportunistic crime, recalling the deadly July 2021 unrest that killed around 350 people and the 2008 xenophobic attacks that claimed 62 lives.

SOURCE: https://www.channelstv.com/2026/06/30/south-africa-migrant-deadline-sparks-protests/