Police fire rubber bullets as migrants clash at Durban deportation site
South African police fired rubber bullets and used stun grenades against migrants protesting near a community hall in Durban, where thousands of people have gathered to be processed for repatriation, as tensions over immigration mount in the country.
The migrants are mainly Malawians who arrived at the site in the eastern city more than a week earlier, hoping to be voluntarily returned home on buses provided by their government. Local media reported that clashes broke out among small groups amid frustration over delays in the departures.
Footage broadcast by South African television showed protesters throwing rocks, sticks and logs at officers in the streets near the hall, with police responding using stun grenades and rubber bullets. The premier of KwaZulu-Natal province, where Durban is located, said nearly 10,000 Malawians had been camping in a nearby park while waiting to go home.
The Home Affairs Ministry said at least 1,876 of those gathered had been identified as being in the country without proper documents and would be deported. The mayor of Durban said more than 6,000 Malawians could ultimately be removed.
The unrest comes amid a surge of anti-migrant sentiment in Africa's most industrialised economy, including a series of marches and reports of attacks on foreign nationals. Rights groups have warned that hostile rhetoric and a looming end-of-June flashpoint risk further violence against migrant communities.
