Cars set on fire, gunshots, looting… Anti-migrant demonstrations degenerate in South Africa

Anti-migrant protests in South Africa turned violent on Thursday, one in the coastal city of Durban and the other in the township of Soweto, in Johannesburg, where cars were set on fire in both cases and shots were fired in Soweto, according to local media. The incidents in Durban followed a protest by a group demanding that a refugee reception center stop processing asylum applications, according to reports.

The News24 news site reported that around ten vehicles were overturned and set on fire, while shops owned by foreign nationals were looted. In Soweto, residents clashed with foreign traders and gunshots were heard, the Newzroom Afrika channel said.

South Africa has seen several months of anti-migrant marches this year which have drawn international criticism. Some of these marches degenerated into violence and looting, and thousands of African nationals fled the country.

About a third of the population is unemployed

Migrants are often accused of taking jobs from locals, fueling crime and putting strain on public services; claims that social scientists say are not supported by any evidence.

Three decades after the end of apartheid, South Africa remains marked by deep inequalities and around a third of the population is unemployed. Despite this, it remains Africa's largest economy and continues to attract migrants.