South Africa's government has responded to mounting anti-migrant sentiment with a heavy police presence as thousands of protesters took to the streets. Sources confirm that authorities deployed armoured vehicles and riot police in major cities, including Johannesburg and Pretoria, to quell demonstrations demanding stricter immigration controls. The protests, organised by local groups, accuse migrants of fuelling unemployment and crime.
Uncovered documents suggest that political figures have stoked these tensions ahead of elections. The crackdown has drawn criticism from human rights organisations, who warn of xenophobic violence. Neither the Ministry of Police nor the presidency responded to requests for comment.
The situation remains volatile, with reports of sporadic clashes and arrests. This is not a new story in South Africa, where anti-foreigner sentiment has boiled over before, but the scale of the deployment signals a government rattled by the prospect of losing control.
