Thousands of people demonstrated in several major South African cities on Tuesday demanding the departure of undocumented migrants, with violent attacks against foreigners from other African countries breaking out on the sidelines of the marches despite heavy security measures.
Demonstrators stormed and looted several migrant-run homes and businesses in suburbs of the city of Johannesburg, according to police.
In KwaZulu-Natal province, police detained 10 people on charges of looting and breaking and entering.
More than 25,000 migrants deported or departed
The marches marked the June 30 deadline set by the civic movement March and March - which has adopted increasingly radical rhetoric - by which it had demanded the departure of all undocumented migrants.
More than 25,000 foreign nationals have left or been deported in recent weeks, South African authorities said. Fear of violence has led not only undocumented but also legal migrants to opt for voluntary return.
March and March leader Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma announced weekly demonstrations for the coming months to supporters in Durban, according to media reports.
The movement demands stricter enforcement of immigration law, mass deportations and tighter border checks. It claims, without evidence, that undocumented migrants contribute to crime and unemployment in South Africa.
Tense situation ahead of elections - migrants made 'scapegoats'
As Africa's most industrialized economy, South Africa has long been a major destination for migrants from across the continent.
President Cyril Ramaphosa has condemned the violence against migrants, saying it was no solution to make "vulnerable groups scapegoats" for complex economic problems. At the same time, the president announced tighter immigration checks.
The domestic political situation is particularly tense, with South Africa just months away from local elections planned for November 6 at which Ramaphosa's ruling party, the African National Congress (ANC), faces the prospect of heavy losses.
Voluntary returns driven by fear of violence
The country of 64 million people at the southern tip of the continent is grappling with high crime and unemployment, a struggling economy and weak public services.
March and March makes blanket and unsubstantiated claims that undocumented migrants bear responsibility for many of these problems.
Protests in recent weeks in major cities including Johannesburg, Pretoria, Durban and Cape Town have at times ended in violent attacks.
Several African countries, including Nigeria, Ghana and Uganda, have organized repatriation efforts for their citizens in recent weeks. Thousands from neighbouring countries such as Malawi and Mozambique are waiting in centres set up by South African authorities for their departure.
South Africa periodically experiences waves of violence against migrants, particularly ahead of elections. The worst such outbreaks occurred in 2008 and 2015, when dozens of people were killed.
At the end of April, UN Secretary General António Guterres expressed concern about the current attacks in South Africa.
