Mob kills foreign national in Durban, South African police say

A mob of about 50 people allegedly beat a foreign national to death during a protest in Durban, South African police said. The group approached the man as he stood beside a road in the city’s central business district. He was declared dead at the scene.

The attack follows months of anti-migrant protests. Demonstrations demanding government action against African migrants who entered South Africa illegally began in June, Al Jazeera reported. Looting and violence followed an anti-migrant march in Durban about two weeks before its October 22 report.

Departures and disputed deaths

Al Jazeera reported that tens of thousands of migrants had left South Africa in recent months to escape the violence, describing one of the largest mass departures in years.

Separately, the South African government said many migrants had been deported because they lacked the documents required to remain in the country.

Nigeria, Mozambique, Malawi and other countries said some of their citizens had been killed in anti-migrant attacks in South Africa. South African authorities disputed some of those accounts, saying some deaths were linked to criminal activity.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa condemned anti-migrant violence. He also acknowledged that weak border controls had allowed undocumented migrants to enter and stay in the country.

Police did not disclose the Durban victim’s nationality or details of the march. They said the man was in his 30s or early 40s and were still trying to identify suspects in the attack.