South Africa deportation drive tops 53,000 amid anti-migrant pressure

South Africa says more than 53,000 foreign nationals have been deported or repatriated since launching a migration management campaign five weeks ago [3]. The move comes amid anti-immigration protests, with officials saying most of those removed were from Malawi, Zimbabwe and Mozambique [3]. Why it matters: This matters because it shows how migration politics and domestic unrest are shaping state enforcement decisions in one of Africa’s largest economies [3]. It also raises human-rights concerns, as the UN has warned against treating migrants as scapegoats for broader socioeconomic problems [3]. Key insights: Officials say the deportations and repatriations are part of a wider crackdown on undocumented migrants after weeks of protests involving violence, intimidation and looting [3]. | Justice Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi said the process had also helped authorities catch people wanted by police for alleged criminal activity [3]. | President Cyril Ramaphosa has condemned attacks on migrants and warned citizens against taking the law into their own hands [3]. | Anti-migrant activists have threatened weekly protests, and several African countries have already flown citizens home [3].