Dozens of undocumented foreign nationals have taken refuge at a church centre in Durban, South Africa, as anti-migrant protests and harassment intensify across parts of the country.
About 250 people, mostly women and children, gathered at the Diakonia Council of Churches building in Durban’s city centre, saying they feared for their lives following weeks of threats and intimidation from local groups targeting undocumented migrants.
Some migrants said they had been ordered by vigilante groups to leave South Africa by June 30 or face possible attacks. Although the ultimatum has no legal backing, it has heightened anxiety among foreign communities already facing rising hostility.
A Congolese woman from the conflict-hit Kivu region, Miriamu Mokonzi, said her family was visited by mobs who warned them to leave or risk being killed. She said the threats forced her to seek safety with her children at the church centre.
Durban, a major port city and economic hub, has become a flashpoint for xenophobic tensions in recent weeks, with groups staging marches and door-to-door campaigns in townships and informal settlements, accusing undocumented migrants of contributing to crime and unemployment.
One of the groups, known as “March and March,” has been seen mobilising men dressed in traditional attire, carrying shields and sticks, while issuing public calls for migrants to leave the country by the end of June. Authorities say such ultimatums have no legal authority, but they have contributed to fear and displacement among migrant communities.
Many of those displaced said they had been chased from their homes and robbed of belongings during the escalating tensions. Others reported seeking police protection earlier in the week but claimed they were dispersed using tear gas and rubber bullets, leaving some injured.
Migrants from countries including the Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda and Tanzania are among those affected, according to community accounts.
South Africa has a history of recurring xenophobic violence, with major outbreaks recorded since 2008, and later flare-ups in 2015 and 2021, often linked to economic pressures, unemployment, and political rhetoric targeting foreign nationals.
The current wave of tension comes as political activities intensify ahead of upcoming local government elections, raising concerns among observers about further escalation if not urgently addressed by authorities.
