A wave of anti-migrant violence has rocked the coastal town of Mossel Bay in southern South Africa, leaving at least two Mozambican nationals dead and causing the displacement of hundreds of people.
The attacks erupted after a protest accusing foreigners of taking jobs from local residents. In the informal settlement of Giyani, dozens of homes were burned, looted, or destroyed.
Fear is now also affecting South African citizens. Some claim to have been threatened or forced to flee because of their ethnicity or their alleged links with migrants.
Nearly 600 Mozambicans have already left the region to return to their country. Other migrants from Malawi, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique remain housed in reception centers under police protection.
These acts of violence are part of a broader context of rising tensions against undocumented migrants in South Africa. Several African countries have begun repatriating their citizens in response to the deteriorating situation.
