S.African anti-migrant march gathers near southern Africa summit
The government's handling of the protests and violence has been criticised by other African nations, notably Ghana and Nigeria, which are not within the SADC grouping.
South Africa's President and outgoing Southern African Development Community (SADC) chairperson Cyril Ramaphosa (L) and SADC Executive Secretary Elias Magosi (R) react on stage after handing over the gavel to Zimbabwe's President Emmerson Mnangagwa (C) during a transfer of the SADC chairmanship at the 46th Southern African Development Community (SADC) Summit at the Durban International Convention Centre (ICC), in Durban on August 17, 2026. (AFP)
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DURBAN — About 300 anti-migrant protesters marched to a regional summit in South Africa on Monday, demanding the gathered leaders "fetch their people".
The heavily policed demonstration was called by one of the fringe anti-immigrant groups behind weeks of protests that led tens of thousands of foreign nationals to flee.
A helicopter and drones flew overhead as officers on horseback and motorbikes marshalled the relatively small group of marchers to the perimeter of the 16-nation Southern African Development Community (SADC) summit in the coastal city of Durban.
She referenced Malawi, Mozambique and Zimbabwe, the three countries whose citizens made up the bulk of around 176,000 foreign nationals who left as protests intensified, according to an AFP tally.
March and March Movement members protest outside the Durban International Convention Centre (ICC) under the theme "It’s Time to Fetch Your People" while the 46th Southern African Development Community (SADC) Summit is underway in Durban, on August 17, 2026. The Movement called on regional African heads of states to prepare what it describes as the mass deportation of undocumented foreign nationals from South Africa by September 30 2026. (AFP)
At least four migrants were killed in the violence, according to the South African police, though some foreign governments say the toll is higher.
The government's handling of the protests and violence has been criticised by other African nations, notably Ghana and Nigeria, which are not within the SADC grouping.
The continent's wealthiest nation, South Africa, has long been a draw for migrants but is battling an unemployment rate above 30 percent and massive inequality.
The country, which took over the rotating chairmanship of SADC at the summit, has called for an Africa-wide conference to address migration.