More than 178,000 immigrants have left South Africa in recent months, either fleeing or being deported, according to reporting across multiple outlets. Several sources describe the movement as sudden and significant in scale, with many people citing fears for their safety.
The departures are linked to a government crackdown on undocumented migration. Authorities’ actions are described as driving some people to leave voluntarily or prompting removal proceedings. At the same time, multiple reports point to anti-immigration protests in some areas, which they characterize as sometimes violent, contributing to anxieties among migrants about potential attacks.
While the outlets differ mainly in phrasing and emphasis, they converge on the same underlying drivers: enforcement efforts targeting undocumented migrants and episodes of hostility associated with protests. Both elements are presented as shaping migrants’ decisions and authorities’ actions, resulting in the large number of people departing the country.
