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‘Leave or return in a coffin’: The threat driving migrants out of South Africa
Yahoo News UK • • world
Key Points:
- Anti-migrant sentiment in South Africa has surged, culminating in threats against foreign nationals like Malawian gardener Kaunga Nyirenda, who was told to leave by June 30 or face death.
- Groups such as March & March and Operation Dudula have called for mass deportations of undocumented migrants, blaming them for unemployment, crime, and strained public services; the government has condemned the violence and rejected these demands.
- Recent xenophobic attacks have led to deaths and displacement of migrants, with investigations ongoing into multiple murders of foreign nationals in various regions.
- South Africa faces deep-rooted economic challenges, including high unemployment and inequality largely stemming from apartheid-era legacies, which fuel resentment toward migrants perceived as competition for scarce jobs.
- Despite the risks, many migrants continue to work in low-wage sectors, but ongoing violence and exclusion have forced some, like Nyirenda, to consider returning to their home countries amid fears for their safety.
