South Africa: Thousands March Demanding Deportation of Undocumented Migrants

Thousands of people have marched in South Africa's main cities, demanding that all undocumented migrants leave the country. Police officers, supported by private security guards, were deployed amid fears that the protests could turn violent. Anti-migrant groups had set Tuesday as the deadline for undocumented migrants to depart.

Many foreigners have already fled to escape violence and intimidation. South African police report that 25,000 individuals have been repatriated so far, most from other African countries. One undocumented Malawian told the BBC he was 'happy to be going back' but 'heartbroken' to leave behind four young children.

The Ministry of Police stated that the protests have largely been peaceful across the country, with isolated incidents of looting and attempted looting. In Johannesburg, the financial capital, shops in the city centre were closed, and police visibility was high on major streets. Some protesters threw bricks, breaking windows of homes in Yeoville, a suburb where many African migrants reside.

In Germiston, about 15 km from Johannesburg, demonstrators went to homes, evicting residents they suspected were foreign nationals and handing them over to police, insisting on documentation checks, according to local media. Police arrested five people for alleged looting of a foreign-owned shop in Soweto, Johannesburg's largest township. About 10 people were also arrested for looting in KwaZulu-Natal province. A woman was arrested for assaulting a police officer, and a man for intimidation after reports of a foreign national being beaten.

Many businesses in central Durban, the main city in KwaZulu-Natal, also shut down. Protesters handed a memorandum listing their demands to government officials in Durban and Johannesburg. The leader of the group March and March, Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma, said they would protest every Thursday for the coming months to force the government to 'get rid of' undocumented migrants still in South Africa. A demonstrator from another group, Operation Dudula, told the BBC they would 'push the police to do their job' if undocumented migrants did not leave.

President Cyril Ramaphosa met some protest leaders on the eve of Tuesday's marches to defuse tensions. He has repeatedly warned demonstrators to act peacefully, while also acknowledging the need for immigration reforms.