Anti-immigrant protesters marched through Durban and Johannesburg on Tuesday, demanding that undocumented foreigners leave South Africa [1].

The unrest signals a dangerous escalation of xenophobic tensions linked to economic instability and competition for limited jobs. The scale of the demonstrations has forced cities to shutter businesses to prevent further violence.

These protests follow a deadline for undocumented foreigners to leave the country, which was set for Tuesday, June 28, 2026 [2]. Demonstrators have gathered in large numbers, waving national flags and chanting slogans against illegal immigration [1]. The unrest has already turned lethal, with reports that at least five people died [3].

Local authorities have responded by deploying significant security forces to the affected urban centers. To fund the surge in police and military presence, an emergency budget of R600 million has been allocated [3].

The current volatility recalls the 2008 anti-migrant violence in South Africa, during which 62 people died [4]. The current wave of unrest mirrors those previous events, as protesters target foreign-owned shops and residences in an effort to force undocumented migrants out of the country [1].

Security forces continue to monitor the marches in Durban and Johannesburg as tensions remain high across the region [1]. Government officials have not yet issued a statement on how the R600 million budget will be distributed across the various security branches [3].

“At least five people died during the protests.”

The resurgence of organized anti-immigrant violence suggests that economic grievances are once again being channeled into xenophobia. By allocating a substantial emergency budget for security, the South African government is prioritizing containment and order over the underlying socio-economic drivers of the unrest, risking a repeat of the mass casualties seen in 2008.