JOHANNESBURG — Thousands of demonstrators gathered in various parts of South Africa on Tuesday to protest against illegal immigration, with some groups setting the day as a deadline for illegal migrants to depart. The South African government did not recognize this self-imposed deadline.

President Cyril Ramaphosa met with leaders of some protest groups on Monday night, asking them to conduct peaceful demonstrations. The government has maintained that only authorities are authorized to enforce immigration laws. South African police deployed hundreds of officers in cities including Johannesburg in Gauteng province and Durban in KwaZulu-Natal province, as well as in the Eastern Cape province where officers and private security firms were deployed.

Past marches against illegal immigration in the Eastern Cape province resulted in violence, the destruction of public infrastructure, and the closure of shops owned by foreign nationals. Previous demonstrations have also led to attacks on migrants and vandalism of foreign-owned businesses. In Johannesburg, some shops owned by foreign nationals closed as protesters began arriving on Tuesday.

Thousands of migrants, primarily from Zimbabwe and Malawi, gathered at their respective embassies and consulates to request transport back to their home countries. There was increased traffic at the Beitbridge checkpoint along the Zimbabwe border as buses carrying migrants left South Africa. Thousands of Malawian nationals returned to Malawi from a temporary repatriation center in Durban.

Demonstrators began gathering early Tuesday in parts of Durban. Reports indicated additional protesters were present in sections of the North West and Free State provinces. Protest groups blame illegal immigrants for contributing to unemployment among South Africans by accepting lower wages. They also attribute high levels of crime and other issues to illegal immigrants.

Nkele Thebe, a protester, stated, "Today is the last day. After today, we’ll be dealing with our president and our nation. We don’t want an outsider to come interfere." Protester Bongani Cindi said that groups opposing illegal immigration were being unfairly labeled as xenophobic for raising what he described as legitimate issues. Cindi added, "Our country has got a lot of problems. We have influx of illegal immigrants who are committing crimes that we can’t even take anymore. So we need them to leave us in peace, so we can sort our house. We are not fighting anyone."

Why It Matters

The protests across South Africa and the government's response highlight ongoing tensions regarding immigration policy and enforcement within the country. The deployment of increased security and the government's dismissal of the protest groups' deadline reflect efforts to manage potential unrest and maintain official control over legal processes. The departures of migrants indicate a direct impact of the demonstrations and associated fears on the immigrant population.