Mozambique reports five nationals slain in South Africa amid surge in anti-foreigner violence

The Mozambique government has confirmed that five of its nationals were killed in xenophobic attacks in South Africa over the weekend, although local police have only confirmed two deaths, which occurred in the southern coastal town of Mossel Bay.

n

This incident marks the first time that killings have been officially linked to the latest wave of protests against illegal migrants in South Africa, with the violence in Mossel Bay being the focal point, located about 380 kilometres east of Cape Town.

n

According to the Mozambique government's media office, the violence erupted on Friday, resulting in the deaths of seven Mozambican citizens, with five being direct victims of xenophobic attacks and two dying in a road accident while travelling back to Mozambique.

n

However, the South African police have disputed this claim, with Western Cape police spokesperson Brigadier Novela Potelwa stating that only two Mozambican nationals were killed in Mossel Bay on Friday evening, and declining to confirm whether their deaths were related to anti-migrant violence.

n

Brigadier Potelwa provided further details, stating that the two victims were a 27-year-old and a 43-year-old, who lost their lives in the Asla Park informal settlement outside Mossel Bay.

n

The region has experienced protests against illegal migrants, similar to those seen in other parts of South Africa, including the financial capital Johannesburg and the east coast city of Durban, with local media reporting that a protest in Asla Park on Friday escalated into violence.

n

The violence resulted in several houses being torched and hundreds of people being displaced, prompting the Mozambique government to report that 300 of its nationals returned to their country on Saturday, while the remaining 500 were sheltered in a safe location in the Western Cape Province.

n

As of June 1, the process of repatriating these individuals to Mozambique is underway, according to the Mozambique government, which has been working to support its nationals still in South Africa.

n

Mossel Bay mayor, Dirk Kotze, has expressed deep concern and dismay over the xenophobic attacks, which have resulted in murder, arson, and displacement of families.

n

South Africa, the continent's most industrialised economy, has long struggled with xenophobic violence, with repeated waves of attacks on illegal migrants, who are often accused of crime and taking jobs from locals, with the most notable incident being the 2008 anti-immigrant riots that killed 62 people.

n

Further outbreaks of xenophobic violence occurred in 2015 and 2016, and the latest spike in tensions has been building for months, ahead of local government elections in November, with one citizen-led group issuing an ultimatum for illegal migrants to be expelled by June 30.

n

This group has been checking the documentation of foreign nationals and forcing small businesses run by non-South Africans to close, although their actions have no official backing and have been criticised by the authorities.

n

In response to the growing tensions, Ghana has flown out 300 of its citizens and is planning to repatriate hundreds more, while several hundred foreign nationals from countries including the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, and Somalia have sought protection in the eastern port city of Durban.

n

Several African countries, including Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria, Lesotho, and Zimbabwe, have urged their citizens in South Africa to exercise caution, as the situation is expected to worsen ahead of June 30.