A group calling itself the Concerned Citizens and Voters of SA has called for a countrywide shutdown on Monday, 4 May, demanding the removal of all foreign nationals from South Africa, as a wave of xenophobic protests escalates into an international diplomatic incident and draws a formal warning from the United Nations.
The shutdown call, built around the slogan “Send the foreigners home,” is the culmination of weeks of marches, property destruction and violence targeting foreign nationals and their businesses in Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town.
Organisers say the action is a response to South Africa’s unemployment rate of around 32%, which they attribute in part to the presence of foreign nationals in the labour market.
Their demands extend beyond undocumented migrants to include all foreign nationals regardless of legal status.
What has happened since late March
Since late March, foreign-owned properties across several major cities have been set on fire. Three foreign shop owners were shot dead in xenophobic attacks in Johannesburg, as reported by Daily Maverick.
The marches have drawn thousands of participants in Gauteng, with protesters handing memorandums to government representatives and calling for policy action on immigration enforcement.
Ghana has formally summoned South Africa’s ambassador to Accra to register its objections to the violence and the rhetoric of the protests. Nigeria has issued safety advisories to its citizens living in South Africa.
The diplomatic fallout has extended to a broader African context, with analysts warning that South Africa’s reputation as a destination for intra-African migration and investment is at risk.
The United Nations has issued a warning to South Africa, characterising the marches as xenophobic and calling on authorities to protect all people within South African borders, regardless of nationality.
Government response and fears about Monday
Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi addressed the protests publicly, vowing to work toward policy solutions on illegal immigration, as reported by IOL.
President Cyril Ramaphosa called on foreign nationals to respect South Africa’s laws and urged citizens not to take the law into their own hands.
Security analysts have drawn comparisons to the July 2021 unrest, which caused widespread destruction and resulted in more than 350 deaths. The Concerned Citizens and Voters of SA does not appear to have a centralised command structure capable of controlling what happens on the ground on Monday, which raises the prospect of the shutdown becoming difficult to contain if violence breaks out.
Businesses in areas with high concentrations of foreign-owned shops have been advised to assess their security readiness ahead of Monday.
What Monday looks like from here
The national shutdown is three days away. Law enforcement agencies have not publicly announced specific operational plans for Monday, though the South African Police Service is expected to deploy resources in affected areas.
The extent to which ordinary South Africans observe the shutdown call, rather than the organised marches, will determine its economic impact.
The diplomatic fallout with Ghana and Nigeria is likely to intensify if further violence is recorded over the weekend or on Monday itself.
