Photo courtesy of Anadolu
Hundreds of people joined demonstrations across major South African cities on Saturday to denounce attacks and intimidation targeting migrants.
Marches were held in Johannesburg, Pretoria, Cape Town and Durban, with more than 60 civil society groups calling for accountability and an end to xenophobic violence.
Organizers also opposed deportations and repatriations, arguing that migrants should not be blamed for broader social and economic problems.
The protests came after months of anti-immigrant actions by vigilante groups that have demanded undocumented migrants leave the country.
Some groups have reportedly gone door-to-door asking African and Asian migrants to present passports or identification documents, a practice condemned by the government.
Migrants and refugees have also reported harassment, extortion and forced business closures as tensions over jobs, public services and crime persist.
Activists rejected claims that foreigners were responsible for unemployment, housing shortages or pressure on health and education systems, blaming governance failures instead.
Thousands of migrants from countries including Malawi, Mozambique, Ghana, Nigeria, Uganda and Zimbabwe have since left South Africa through voluntary repatriation or deportation. The government recently said about 53,000 African migrants had been returned through those processes.