₦airaland Forum

Thousands of anti-immigration protesters took to the streets across South Africa on Tuesday as demonstrations demanding the removal of undocumented foreigners began under heavy police presence, raising fresh concerns among foreign nationals, including Nigerians.

Videos shared online showed large crowds marching through Johannesburg, where protesters demanded that undocumented immigrants leave the country.

The protest followed an unofficial June 30 deadline earlier issued by anti-migration campaigners for undocumented foreigners to leave South Africa.

According to the BBC, police officers were deployed across the country over fears that the demonstrations could turn violent.

Ahead of the protests, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa urged demonstrators to refrain from “intimidation, threats or ultimatums,” saying the marches should remain peaceful even as his government acknowledged the need for immigration reforms.

The BBC reported that the demonstrations were “largely peaceful across the country, with isolated incidents of looting and attempted looting.”

In Johannesburg, it was said the city centre was unusually quiet, with many businesses shut and police maintaining a strong presence on major roads. It added that some protesters threw bricks, smashing the windows of flats in Yeoville, a suburb with a large African migrant population.

Police also arrested five people in Soweto for allegedly looting a foreign-owned shop. In contrast, another five were arrested in Hammarsdale, KwaZulu-Natal, over the alleged break-in of a tuck shop, according to the report.

According to the BBC, “many have already fled to escape violence and intimidation,” with South African police saying 25,000 people have been repatriated so far, most of them from other African countries.

One undocumented Malawian preparing to leave South Africa told the broadcaster he was “happy to be going back” but “heartbroken” to be leaving behind his four young children.

The demonstrations also coincided with growing fears among Nigerians living in South Africa.

On Monday, dozens of Nigerians gathered at the Nigerian High Commission in Pretoria seeking refuge over fears of possible xenophobic attacks ahead of the June 30 protests.

Some said they felt safer at the embassy after reports of planned demonstrations, while others who had reported for evacuation remained stranded because they were not scheduled to leave on the latest flight.

The Federal Government has since continued its voluntary evacuation programme. Another batch of 271 Nigerians arrived at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, on Tuesday aboard an Air Peace flight from Johannesburg and were received by officials of the National Emergency Management Agency, the Nigeria Immigration Service and the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission.

The latest evacuation forms part of the Federal Government’s efforts to assist Nigerians who have opted to return home as anti-immigration tensions persist in South Africa, with authorities continuing to monitor developments following the nationwide protests.

Mattswaggz:
SA could face the ripple effects of how they've been treating other Africans recently and the image they've projected of themselves to other African countries soon enough....this is a country that Africans rallied behind and gave them all forms of supports during apartheid and this is how they chose to pay them back while turning a blind eye to what could be regarded as the real threat (the whites) controlling most of the critical infrastructures and economy in their so called "country" .

Nonetheless....provided this protest is a peaceful one,then there is nothing wrong with it....at least they have the courage to demand what they want those they elected into office to do unlike a certain west African country that's been declining at an alarming rate....in all thy doings, do things in the right way and remember that there is tomorrow and in that tomorrow,the tables could turn.

KLEINBASS:
So South Africans should ignore the mass invasion of illegal foreigners in their country and the element of criminality especially drug trade from Nigerians ? You want them to run away and be burden in other countries like Nigerians?

Mattswaggz:
Go and ask the person that said all those gibberish you're talking about up there that question because I don't know what you're talking about.

KLEINBASS:
You always run away from addressing real issues of Nigerians invading other countries illegally and their involvement in criminality especially drugs

Mattswaggz:
SA could face the ripple effects of how they've been treating other Africans recently and the image they've projected of themselves to other African countries soon enough....this is a country that Africans rallied behind and gave them all forms of supports during apartheid and this is how they chose to pay them back while turning a blind eye to what could be regarded as the real threat (the whites) controlling most of the critical infrastructures and economy in their so called "country" .

Nonetheless....provided this protest is a peaceful one,then there is nothing wrong with it....at least they have the courage to demand what they want those they elected into office to do unlike a certain west African country that's been declining at an alarming rate....in all thy doings, do things in the right way and remember that there is tomorrow and in that tomorrow,the tables could turn.

Apcshit:
You are so foolish and full of shit

KLEINBASS:
As Africans we do not want to address the issue of mass invasion of illegal foreigners in South Africa because is xenophobia , let’s not talk about the criminal element within foreigners because is xenophobia, lets not address the issue of foreigners burdening the public healthcare and public education because is xenophobia. Actually let’s blame South Africa for our people being illegal in South Africa. Actually there is no foreigner in Africa, South Africa should be borderless to all African countries while our countries are managed by immigration law. I guess South Africa is indeed xenophobic.#take accountability not blame South Africans for demanding law to be enforced

aybabz101:
What ripple effect...!!

go back and develop your country....Fight if you have to....

if your country is as good as SA, people will want to associate with you too...

Didnt you guys chased Ghanaians away?...you even made a popular bag out of it.....

People dont want foreigners invading them...that is why we have to fight and make Nigeria better....

KLEINBASS:
You always run away from addressing real issues of Nigerians invading other countries illegally and their involvement in criminality especially drugs

Mattswaggz:
SA could face the ripple effects of how they've been treating other Africans recently and the image they've projected of themselves to other African countries soon enough....this is a country that Africans rallied behind and gave them all forms of supports during apartheid and this is how they chose to pay them back while turning a blind eye to what could be regarded as the real threat (the whites) controlling most of the critical infrastructures and economy in their so called "country" .

Nonetheless....provided this protest is a peaceful one,then there is nothing wrong with it....at least they have the courage to demand what they want those they elected into office to do unlike a certain west African country that's been declining at an alarming rate....in all thy doings, do things in the right way and remember that there is tomorrow and in that tomorrow,the tables could turn.

Atlantis585:
After the march, their ladies will still spread legs for Naija guys because their guys no sabi do and dem no get money to take care of the girls.