South Africa is bracing for nationwide anti-immigrant protests on 30 June, after citizen-led groups issued an unofficial ultimatum for all undocumented foreigners to leave the country. The campaign, driven by movements such as March and March, has already prompted the repatriation of more than 25,000 people, according to South Africa’s National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure. Several African governments—including Nigeria, Uganda, Malawi, Ghana and Zimbabwe—have organised evacuation flights and buses for their nationals, while thousands more remain in makeshift camps in Durban, Cape Town and Johannesburg awaiting departure.

President Cyril Ramaphosa, in a public address on Monday, acknowledged that citizens’ concerns over illegal immigration, pressure on public services and criminal syndicates are “real and they deserve to be heard”. However, he warned that the right to protest does not permit intimidation, violence or vigilantism, and that only state law-enforcement officers may demand identification or enforce immigration laws. Ramaphosa said his government is pursuing reforms to strengthen border management, visa systems and enforcement, but insisted that many foreign nationals are in the country legally and contribute to the economy.

The evacuations mark a sharp escalation in diplomatic tensions. Uganda confirmed one of its citizens was killed in KwaZulu-Natal and announced government-funded charter flights for 746 registered evacuees. Nigeria has already repatriated hundreds on Air Peace flights, with more planned. Malawi has processed over 15,000 departures. Ghana, Mozambique and Zimbabwe have also moved citizens out. Several governments have protested to Pretoria, while student groups in Nigeria have threatened to target South African businesses if attacks on Nigerians continue. Analysts in West and East Africa note that the exodus echoes earlier mass expulsions on the continent, such as Ghana’s 1969 expulsion of undocumented immigrants and Uganda’s 1972 expulsion of Asians, both of which caused long-term economic disruption and diplomatic rifts.

The protests and the government’s response carry significant economic and political risks. South Africa’s unemployment rate exceeds 30 per cent, and anti-immigrant sentiment has been fuelled by claims that foreigners take jobs and commit crimes. However, research institutions and civil society groups warn that scapegoating immigrants distracts from deeper structural problems, and that restrictions on foreign workers and businesses could disrupt supply chains and investment, as seen in Zimbabwe’s indigenisation policies. With marches authorised in several cities and police deployed in reinforced numbers, the immediate focus is on preventing a repeat of the deadly xenophobic violence that killed 62 people in 2008. The government has said it will hold accountable anyone who commits criminal acts, while continuing to process voluntary repatriations.