Anti-immigration group March and March has held protests in Durban, Pretoria and Johannesburg over the past month. Protesters have come armed with traditional weapons, people perceived to be immigrants have been assaulted, and shops and businesses have closed to avoid violence. While the group claims to only be aiming at undocumented immigrants, its behaviour has been indiscriminate.
Several political parties promote the idea that immigrants are to blame for South Africa’s woes. The Patriotic Alliance is especially brazen, threatening mass deportations and to “build a wall to protect citizens against illegal foreigners”.
