A demonstration against undocumented migrants in South Africa has descended into violence in the port city of Durban, with one foreign national arrested and a community leader saying five Congolese nationals were injured.
Durban has been at the centre of weeks of protests over irregular migration, amid growing tensions that have left at least four foreign nationals dead and tens of thousands fleeing the country.
The protests come amid rising anti-migrant sentiment and xenophobic tensions in South Africa, where some local communities have accused foreign nationals of taking jobs, putting pressure on public services and contributing to crime. While concerns over undocumented migration have driven the demonstrations, the unrest has also raised fears of xenophobic attacks, particularly as tensions between protesters and foreign communities have increasingly turned confrontational.
South African authorities have faced growing pressure to contain the unrest and prevent further attacks on foreign nationals. Police have been deployed to areas affected by the protests, with officers using tear gas and rubber bullets to separate demonstrators from migrants as tensions escalated in Durban. The government has also continued to call for calm and a lawful approach to concerns over undocumented migration, warning against violence and attacks on foreign nationals.
The latest violence has renewed concerns over the safety of foreign nationals in South Africa, particularly as anti-migrant protests continue to spread. With lives already lost and thousands displaced by the unrest, pressure is mounting on authorities to restore calm, protect vulnerable communities and address concerns over undocumented migration without allowing tensions to fuel further xenophobic violence.
