South Africa door-to-door xenophobic raids spark exodus

Anti-immigration protests in South Africa escalated significantly on Thursday, July 9, 2026, as demonstrators conducted door-to-door operations in multiple communities, forcibly removing suspected undocumented migrants from their homes and handing them over to police. The actions, which deepened fears among foreign nationals and prompted thousands to flee the country, marked a new phase in a movement that began with nationwide marches on June 30.

In Johannesburg's Alexandra township, protesters broke down doors and entered homes where they believed undocumented immigrants were living, escorting detainees to waiting police vehicles. Among those taken away were a Malawian woman and her young child. A Zimbabwean national detained by protesters insisted he was lawfully residing in South Africa under a valid permit. Similar demonstrations unfolded in Soweto, where marchers carrying sticks and flags planned to search neighborhoods, and in the coastal city of Durban. Organizers had circulated flyers advertising a "peaceful march" followed by the door-to-door operation.

The movement, led by groups such as March and March, has been fueled by widespread frustration over unemployment,...