By Our Reporter
South African police on Wednesday fired rubber bullets and teargas to disperse hundreds of protesters calling for stricter action against foreigners in the coastal city of Durban.
The demonstrators, drawn from various political groups and the vigilante movement Operation Dudula, marched through the streets carrying placards and chanting slogans against undocumented migrants.
Protesters singled out nationals from Nigeria, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Mexico, and other countries, accusing them of taking jobs and contributing to crime.
Speaking during the protest, ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba defended the campaign, insisting that South Africans could no longer tolerate what he described as unchecked migration.
“We cannot allow a situation where our country is being destroyed before our eyes,” he said. “Our government is allowing people from across the world to flood into South Africa, and this is unacceptable.”
Fearing possible violence, some shop owners shut down their businesses ahead of the march. Despite this, a small group of protesters reportedly harassed bystanders and looted shops, prompting police intervention.
An 81-year-old resident, Thembi Dlamini, blamed corruption and illegal immigration for worsening economic conditions, alleging that officials issue documents unlawfully while security agencies turn a blind eye to crime.
She lamented that employment opportunities were being lost to undocumented migrants, questioning the future of young South Africans.
The protest highlights growing tensions in the country over unemployment and competition for jobs, with the jobless rate standing at nearly 32 per cent.
Official data indicate that about three million foreigners—roughly 5.1 per cent of the population—currently reside in South Africa.