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Anti-immigrant protests in South Africa turned violent on Thursday as groups went door-to-door in the Johannesburg township of Alexandra, pulling people from their homes and handing them to police, according to Africa News. Protesters broke down doors and entered houses where they believed undocumented foreigners were hiding, the outlet reported.

The action came after an unofficial 30 June deadline set by protesters for all undocumented foreigners to leave the country. Demonstrations also occurred in Soweto and Durban, with thousands marching across South Africa on the deadline day, as reported by RFI — English.

Coverage comparison

Two news organisations — Africa News and RFI — English — have reported on the protests, each focusing on different aspects of the events. Africa News emphasised the door-to-door raids in Alexandra and the broader context of unemployment and foreign population figures, while RFI — English highlighted the scale of the marches and the security operation mounted by police.

Both outlets reported that protests took place in multiple cities, and both cited the same deadline and the movement's leader, Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma. Africa News reported that the protests were part of months of often violent anti-immigrant demonstrations, a detail echoed by RFI's account of the tense atmosphere.

The two accounts differ in tone: Africa News described the events as "anti-illegal immigrant protests" that turned violent, while RFI — English framed them as "anti-migrant marches reaching boiling point." Both noted isolated violence and arrests, though Africa News focused more on the community leaders' perspectives.

Key claims

  • Groups of anti-illegal immigrant protesters went door-to-door in Alexandra, pulling people from their homes and handing them to police. This was reported by Africa News, which cited a Reuters reporter at the scene.
  • Protesters broke down doors and entered houses in the Johannesburg township, as reported by Africa News.
  • Protests also occurred in Soweto and Durban, as reported by Africa News and RFI — English.
  • An unofficial 30 June deadline for undocumented foreigners to leave South Africa had been set by protesters. Both outlets reported this deadline.
  • South Africa hosts over three million foreigners, just over five per cent of its population, with unemployment exceeding 30 per cent. This statistic was reported by Africa News.
  • Thousands of people from African nations have fled the country in recent weeks, according to Africa News.
  • Police mounted a major security operation in multiple cities, deploying soldiers overnight in Johannesburg and Durban, as reported by RFI — English.
  • Organisers renewed calls for mass deportations, with Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma telling supporters in Durban: "We want mass deportation... For the next six months we want the government to get rid of the people who have not left." This was reported by RFI — English.
  • Several African governments are organising voluntary repatriation flights and buses for their citizens, as reported by RFI — English. Nigeria, one of several countries that has repatriated some of its citizens, was mentioned in Africa News's account.
  • Authorities feared a repeat of the deadly unrest that swept the country in 2021, a concern reported by RFI — English.

Perspectives

Community leaders in Alexandra and Soweto

Musa Mabiko, a community leader in Alexandra, told Africa News: "Our mandate is clear, we need them to go. We don't need them here in South Africa because they are here illegally." However, he added that the protest march there had got out of hand and needed to stop immediately after chaotic scenes. Portia Zulu, a Soweto community leader, expressed similar sentiment: "The pie is now too small to share because South Africans are unemployed, the rate of crime has gone too high. So we want the government to be serious about deporting undocumented foreigners."

Protest movement leadership

Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma, leader of the anti-immigration March and March movement, denied claims that the organisation is xenophobic, according to Africa News. She has vowed to stage protests every Thursday until the government takes the group's demands seriously, and renewed calls for mass deportations at a rally in Durban, as reported by RFI — English.

Local observers

A local in Alexandra suggested the "march" seemed more like vandalism than a protest, as quoted by Africa News.

Protesters in Durban

RFI — English quoted a protester outside an apartment building: "We know they live there. We know these buildings well. They have to leave. We've told them they must leave before 30 June. We're telling them politely. We're not going to kill them. They just have to leave."