Displaced migrants leave South Africa after xenophobic attacks

Displaced migrants following xenophobic violence in South Africa’s Western Cape province left the region by bus on Thursday.

The foreign nationals had been forced out of their homes after attacks that occurred less than a week earlier in the Southern Cape area. One group, housed in the Kleinmond area, was transported by authorities, while another group, accommodated in a centre in Stanford, was also awaiting transfer as part of return procedures.

According to the border management authority, nearly 600 Mozambicans fled Mossel Bay and returned home in the days following the violence. Nearly a week after the incidents, around 100 foreign nationals from Malawi, Mozambique and Zimbabwe were still crammed into a community hall in Mossel Bay with their belongings, under police guard.

They were joined by several South Africans from Limpopo province, who said they feared they could also be targeted because they are not Xhosa.

On site, local authorities carried out registration and processing operations, including fingerprinting and administrative checks. Families, including women and children, were among those seen in the displacement centres.

No details were provided on the total number of people affected or the exact arrangements for their relocation or repatriation.