A September 30 deadline declared by South Africa's March and March, an anti-immigration movement that has led anti-migrant protests across the country this year, has renewed fears of violence among migrant communities.
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that → declare → communities
Refugees are also fearing fresh unrest as South Africa will hold local government elections on November 4, with migration emerging as an increasingly prominent political and social issue.
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migration → fear → issue
“I am in hiding now because they say they are going to kill me for speaking about the rights of foreigners,” Al Jazeera quoted Bishop Raphael Bahebwa, a refugee from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), as saying.
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Jazeera → say → Congo
Bahebwa has lived in South Africa for 26 years and has witnessed repeated flare-ups of anti-foreigner sentiment.
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Bahebwa → live → sentiment
But he says this year feels “different.”
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year → say → ?
Never before have I experienced something like this,” he added.
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he → experience → this
According to Kafuti Muyumba, another refugee from the DRC, many members of the refugee community were “afraid” to return to neighbourhoods where they had built businesses and lives.
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they → accord → businesses
Muyumba, a small business owner and representative of the refugee community, said tensions had left many "fearful" for their safety.
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tensions → say → safety
Even the police allow March and March violence.
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police → allow → violence
They came with sticks and say we are attacking them.
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we → come → them
This is not the first time we are experiencing xenophobia.
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we → experience → xenophobia
In 2008 and then in 2015 we also experienced this,” Muyumba stated.
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Muyumba → experience → this
In 2008, xenophobic violence spread through townships and informal settlements across South Africa, killing dozens of people and displacing thousands.
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violence → spread → thousands
Further outbreaks of violence against foreign nationals followed in subsequent years.
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outbreaks → follow → years
We’re not xenophobic; campaign is against undocumented migration'
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campaign → ’re → migration
March and March has described its mobilisation as a "campaign against undocumented immigration, crime and deteriorating conditions in South African communities," while arguing that the South African government’s response to immigration enforcement has been “insufficient”.
The group has called for undocumented foreigners to leave South Africa and warned of further demonstrations if its demands are not met.
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demands → describe → demonstrations
Its leaders have repeatedly rejected accusations that the campaign is xenophobic, insisting that its target is undocumented migration rather than foreign nationals generally.
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target → reject → accusations
March and March maintains that its sole demand is for undocumented immigrants to leave South Africa and return to their home countries.
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immigrants → maintain → countries
How has the South African government responded
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government → respond → ?
In response to the ongoing protests, the South African government has intensified immigration enforcement.
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government → intensify → enforcement
Between June 14 and August 20, authorities processed 86,596 foreign nationals for deportation and repatriation, according to the government’s Inter-Ministerial Committee on Migration.
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authorities → process → Migration
Malawians made up the largest group, followed by Zimbabweans and Mozambicans.
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Malawians → make → Zimbabweans
Government data indicates that 90% of those repatriated had entered South Africa illegally, while 95% were classified as having crossed the border outside official ports of entry.
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% → indicate → entry
The government maintains that the operations form part of a broader effort to strengthen border management and enforce immigration law.
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operations → maintain → law
At the same time, officials have repeatedly warned private groups against taking immigration enforcement into their own hands.
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officials → warn → hands
March and March’s September 30 deadline has no legal authority.
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deadline → have → authority
The government maintains that ordinary citizens cannot deport anyone from South Africa.
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citizens → maintain → Africa
However, deadlines do not need legal force to create fear, as was the case for an earlier deadline of June 30.
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case → need → June
"They are scapegoating us as foreigners.
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They → scapegoate → foreigners
It is not going to end on September 30.
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It → go → September
It has to do with the elections," Bahebwa said.
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Bahebwa → have → elections
The Aporia
