Police in Durban, South Africa, fired rubber bullets and teargas on Wednesday to disperse hundreds of anti-immigrant protesters who took to the streets in a demonstration fueled by growing hostility toward foreigners.
The protest, organized by a mix of political parties and the controversial vigilante movement Operation Dudula, whose name means “push back” in Zulu, reflects deepening frustrations over crime, unemployment, and undocumented migration. Demonstrators flooded central streets, chanting and holding placards, demanding tougher government measures against undocumented foreign nationals.
Authorities initially blocked the protesters from reaching the Durban beachfront, which residents say has become a hotspot for criminal activity. Tensions escalated when a small group broke away from the main march, harassing bystanders and looting shops, prompting police to use teargas and rubber bullets to restore order. Several shop owners had closed their businesses in anticipation of unrest.
Among the demonstrators was Herman Mashaba, leader of the ActionSA party, who criticised the government’s handling of immigration. “People can call us names but we cannot allow a situation where our country is being destroyed before our very own eyes,” Mashaba said, accusing authorities of failing to control migration from countries including Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nigeria, and Mexico.
Protesters argued that undocumented migrants were worsening unemployment and crime. Eighty-one-year-old resident Thembi Dlamini said she joined the march to highlight corruption and illegal migration. “Jobs are being taken away by our brothers from other parts of Africa who are here illegally. Where will our children get jobs?” she asked.
South Africa, Africa’s most industrialised economy, remains a key destination for migrants despite high unemployment, which currently stands at about 32 percent. Official statistics show around three million foreigners—roughly 5.1 percent of the population—currently live in the country.
The protest underscores growing political and social tensions ahead of local government elections, with immigration emerging as a sensitive and polarising issue.
