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Xenophobic Attacks Hit Foreign Businesses and Migrants in South Africa
Mobs have targeted foreign-owned shops and driven migrants from homes, with several deaths reported this year. A group called March and March set a June 30 deadline for undocumented immigrants to leave.
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Foreign-owned businesses have been attacked in South Africa, migrants have been driven from their homes, and several have been killed, NPR reported. The group March and March has given all undocumented immigrants until June 30 to leave the country. Thousands of Malawians have fled their homes in Durban and camped in the open.
Hundreds of Zimbabweans have camped outside their consulate in Cape Town. Nigeria, Ghana and Mozambique have repatriated citizens who wanted to leave. This year a Malawian and several Mozambicans have been reported killed.
In 2008 xenophobic riots left more than 60 people dead and tens of thousands displaced. Deadly riots occurred again in 2019. South Africa's official unemployment rate stands at over 30 percent, with youth unemployment above 60 percent.
President Cyril Ramaphosa promised to strengthen borders and crack down on undocumented immigrants and those employing them. Guy, a 25-year-old Malawian carpenter who arrived three years ago, said he fears for his life and is considering returning home.
Bona Mapezi Bahati, 33 and eight months pregnant, arrived from the Democratic Republic of Congo 15 years ago and said she has been turned away from clinics.
