South Africa's Xenophobic Violence Escalates as 'March and March' Targets African Migrants

A 43-year-old Cameroonian shop owner in Durban locked his doors, turned off the lights, and held his breath as a mob of approximately ten men surrounded his business on April 17, 2026. Despite his precautions, the attackers broke down his door, demanding to know his whereabouts. What followed was a brutal assault that has become all too familiar for foreign nationals across South Africa.

"They whipped me and my three colleagues who are not South African with golf sticks and sjamboks, and sprayed pepper spray on us," the shop owner told Human Rights Watch investigators. "They also used stun guns on us. We ran outside the shop, while unable to see clearly. They followed us outside and whipped us… no one came to assist us."

The shop owner is married to a South African woman and lawfully living in South Africa, but his attackers did not seek to clarify his migration status. The assault was one of dozens carried out across South Africa in April and May 2026 by vigilantes affiliated with a citizen-led movement called March and March, which advocates more stringent immigration enforcement.

A Pattern of Violence

Human Rights Watch documented multiple attacks targeting African and Asian foreign nationals in major cities including Pretoria, Johannesburg, and Durban. The organization accused South African authorities of providing little or insufficient response to the violence, allowing vigilante groups to operate with near impunity.

In April and May 2026, March and March organized demonstrations against undocumented migrants, with violent and sometimes fatal results. The group has risen to prominence since 2024, coinciding with South Africa's deteriorating socioeconomic conditions, including an unemployment rate exceeding 43 percent.

"South Africa's constitution and international human rights law protects the right to protest, but that does not include permission to commit violence," said Nomathamsanqa Masiko-Mpaka, South Africa researcher at Human Rights Watch. "Vigilantes in South Africa have carried out violent xenophobic attacks targeting African and Asian foreign nationals in recent weeks, with little or insufficient apparent response from the police and other authorities."

A Long History

South Africa has grappled with intermittent but widespread xenophobic harassment and violence against African and Asian foreign nationals since 2008, when 62 people—including 21 South Africans, 11 Mozambicans, 5 Zimbabweans, and 3 Somalis—were killed in attacks. Sporadic waves of violence erupted in 2015, 2019 (primarily targeting Nigerian nationals), and 2021-2022 with the rise of vigilante groups like Operation Dudula ("force out" in Zulu).

March and March represents the latest iteration of this anti-immigrant activism. The group scapegoats foreign nationals as the cause of South Africa's economic woes, poor service delivery, and high rates of crime, despite studies that disprove these claims.

Regional and International Response

On April 27, United Nations Secretary General António Guterres expressed concerns over the reported xenophobic harassment, discrimination, and attacks in South Africa. The African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights expressed similar concerns, calling on the government to investigate violence against foreign nationals and to ensure those responsible are held accountable and that affected migrants have access to justice and protection.

Several African countries, including Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria, and Zimbabwe, have issued travel warnings for their citizens considering travel to South Africa. The warnings reflect growing regional alarm over the safety of African nationals in what is supposed to be the continent's most developed economy.

Impact on Diaspora Communities

For the estimated hundreds of thousands of Kenyans, Nigerians, Zimbabweans, and other African nationals living in South Africa, the violence has created a climate of fear. Many foreign-owned businesses have closed temporarily, and some migrants are considering leaving the country entirely.

"I came here to build a better life," said a Kenyan business owner in Johannesburg who requested anonymity. "Now I'm afraid to open my shop. My children are afraid to go to school. This is not the South Africa I knew."

The attacks have also strained diplomatic relations between South Africa and its neighbors. Nigeria recalled its ambassador in 2019 during a previous wave of xenophobic violence, and there are indications that similar measures may be under consideration by other countries.

The Economic Dimension

South Africa's economic challenges are real. The unemployment rate has climbed above 43 percent, electricity blackouts continue to disrupt business, and public services are deteriorating. But economists and human rights advocates argue that scapegoating foreign nationals is a dangerous distraction from the structural issues that underpin the crisis.

"Foreign nationals are not the cause of South Africa's economic problems," said Dr. Loren Landau, a migration expert at the University of Johannesburg. "They are convenient targets for politicians and vigilante groups looking for someone to blame. The real issues are corruption, poor governance, and lack of investment in education and infrastructure."

What Comes Next

South Africa's Constitution guarantees human rights, dignity, and equality to all within its borders, not only citizens. The country is also party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights, both of which impose obligations for states to protect everyone in their jurisdiction against attacks motivated by discrimination.

Human Rights Watch and other organizations are calling on the South African government to take immediate action to protect foreign nationals, investigate attacks, and hold perpetrators accountable. They are also urging regional bodies and international partners to pressure South Africa to uphold its constitutional and treaty obligations.

For now, foreign nationals across South Africa are living in fear, uncertain of when the next attack will come. And diaspora communities across the continent are watching closely, demanding that their governments take action to protect their citizens.

"We are Africans living in Africa," said a Zimbabwean shop owner in Pretoria. "We should not have to live like this."

Reporting drawn from Human Rights Watch, OkayAfrica.