Thousands of people are marching in South Africa’s main cities to demand that all undocumented migrants leave the country.
Police officers – backed by private security guards – have been deployed because of fears that protests could turn violent. Anti-migrant groups had set Tuesday as the deadline for undocumented migrants to leave.
Many foreigners have already fled to escape violence and intimidation. South African police say 25,000 have been repatriated so far. Most are from other African countries.
One undocumented Malawian told the BBC he was “happy to be going back” but “heartbroken” to be leaving behind four young children.
The Ministry of Police said the protests were largely peaceful across the country, with isolated incidents of looting and attempted looting.
Johannesburg, where one of the protests is taking place, is unusually quiet. Shops in the city centre are closed, while police visibility is high on major streets.
Some protesters threw bricks, breaking the windows of some homes in Yeoville, a suburb in Johannesburg where many African migrants live.
Police said they had arrested five people for the alleged looting of a foreign-owned shop in Johannesburg’s biggest township, Soweto.
About 10 people were also arrested for looting in KwaZulu-Natal province, while a woman was arrested for assaulting a police officer and a man for “intimidation” following reports of a foreign national being beaten up, police said.
Credit: bbc.com
