Machete-wielding mobs have targeted migrant communities in South Africa's largest cities as a government deadline for voluntary departure expires, prompting the UK embassy to issue a security alert for British nationals in the country. At least twelve people have been hospitalised in the past 48 hours in attacks concentrated in Johannesburg's central business district and the Cape Town township of Khayelitsha. The violence has been linked to the 31 March deadline set by the South African Home Affairs Department for undocumented migrants to present themselves for deportation or face forced removal.
Eyewitnesses reported groups of men, some wearing the colours of the Operation Dudula anti-immigrant movement, patrolling streets and demanding identification documents. Those unable to produce papers were beaten with sticks and slashed with machetes. Two Zimbabwean nationals remain in critical condition in Johannesburg after an attack on a minibus taxi they were travelling in.
The UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office updated its travel advice late on Tuesday, warning British nationals to avoid all non-essential travel to affected areas. The advice stated: ‘Increased security forces have been deployed, but the risk of xenophobic violence remains high. British nationals should exercise caution and avoid large gatherings.
’ The South African government has condemned the attacks but has yet to make a public statement from President Cyril Ramaphosa. Police minister Bheki Cele described the assaults as ‘criminal acts of mob justice’ and announced the deployment of the specialised Tactical Response Team to high-risk neighbourhoods. The United Nations refugee agency, UNHCR, has expressed alarm, noting that among the targeted individuals are asylum seekers and refugees legally resident in South Africa.
The agency called on authorities to protect vulnerable populations and to distinguish between migrants with legal status and those in the country irregularly. The violence poses a significant challenge to South Africa's post-pandemic economic recovery, as immigrant labour is essential in sectors such as construction, hospitality, and domestic work. Analysts warn that the crackdown could destabilise communities already strained by high unemployment and inequality.
For British nationals in South Africa, the embassy has established a helpline and urged registration with the local consular services. The situation remains fluid, with further attacks expected as the deadline approaches and security forces struggle to maintain order in densely populated areas.
