Ahmed Salem
Police in South Africa are investigating the killing of a 29-year-old Malawian citizen during a march against illegal immigrants in the informal settlement of Gika Go in Pietermaritzburg.
Two other people were injured in the attack on Friday. Protests led by the anti-immigration group March and March reportedly turned violent after a woman claimed that a relative had been killed by Malawians.
Hundreds of people from Malawi are living in camps in Pietermaritzburg, following the attack in the city, which is the capital of KwaZulu-Natal province.
Another group is in the nearby city of Durban, awaiting their return home as efforts continue to bring them back.
Attacks on migrants in South Africa escalate
The March and March movement has intensified its protests in recent months, coordinating mass demonstrations and setting a June 30 deadline for all unregistered foreigners to leave the country.
There is no legal basis for this warning, but it has already led to thousands of people fleeing from other African countries, including Ghana, Nigeria, Malawi and Mozambique.
Tensions are rising ahead of anti-illegal immigrant demonstrations scheduled to take place across the country on the 30th of this month.
Law enforcement agencies have strengthened their operational readiness in all nine counties, with plans in place to protect communities, critical infrastructure, and public spaces.
The police minister issued a warning to the protesters, saying that it would not be tolerated and that no one was allowed to carry weapons during the protests.
