A foreign national has been beaten to death by a crowd of roughly 50 people in Durban, South Africa, police said. The killing comes amid a wave of anti-immigrant protests across the country, some of which have turned violent.
Police said the victim has not been identified. He is believed to be in his late 30s or early 40s. According to officers, two men first approached him by the roadside, after which a larger group attacked him. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Murder investigation opened as motive remains unclear
Police have opened a murder investigation, but the reason behind the attack has not been established. Provincial police spokesperson Robert Netshiunda said officers could not speculate on what drove the killing in Durban. He added that more information would be released once it had been verified.
The death follows a series of protests against immigrants this year. Earlier this month, shops and cars were set on fire in Durban and in Soweto, near Johannesburg.
Government urges calm as deadline and deportations stir fears
The government has asked demonstrators to act peacefully, while also acknowledging that immigration rules need reform. It says tens of thousands of foreign nationals have been deported or sent home since a crackdown began earlier this year.
One of the groups behind the protests, March and March, had set 30 June as a deadline for all undocumented migrants to leave South Africa. Several demonstrations took place ahead of that date, and reports described attacks on people from other African countries.
These reports prompted several governments, including those of Zimbabwe, Nigeria and Ghana, to take steps to bring their citizens home, citing fears of further violence. Nigeria accused South African authorities of responsibility for the deaths of two of its citizens that month.
Ghana confirmed the death of one of its citizens, Bashiru Isak, a father of three who was shot dead in Cape Town during demonstrations targeting foreign nationals. The case led to a diplomatic row, with South Africa saying the scale of the violence had been exaggerated.
Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma, one of the leaders of March and March, denied being xenophobic. She argued that people had lived alongside foreigners for many years and that, when they said enough was enough, they were accused of xenophobia instead.
Long history of xenophobic violence and economic strain
South Africa has struggled with xenophobic attacks for nearly two decades. In 2008, more than 60 people were killed and tens of thousands were displaced during widespread attacks on foreign nationals.
The latest unrest is unfolding against a backdrop of widespread poverty, deep inequality and unemployment affecting roughly a third of the workforce. Migrants are often blamed for taking jobs, contributing to crime and putting pressure on public services, but researchers say such sweeping claims are not supported by evidence.
Despite its economic difficulties, South Africa remains one of the continent’s main destinations for migrants seeking work, safety and better opportunities.
