Foreign national beaten to death by crowd in Durban, South Africa
Police say about 50 people assaulted the man, who was pronounced dead at the scene, amid a wave of anti-immigrant protests this year.
At a glance
- A foreign national was beaten to death by a crowd of about 50 people in Durban, South Africa, police say.
- Police have opened a murder investigation and say the motive has not yet been established.
- The killing follows protests against immigrants this year, including unrest in Durban and Soweto.
A foreign national has been beaten to death by a crowd of about 50 people in Durban, South Africa, police say.
The man, who has not been identified and is believed to have been in his late 30s or early 40s, was first approached by two men at the roadside before being assaulted by a larger group, according to police. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Police have opened a murder investigation. The motive has not yet been established, and provincial police spokesperson Robert Netshiunda told the BBC that officers could not speculate on why the man was attacked. He said more information would be released once it had been verified.
Anti-immigrant protests
The killing follows a series of protests against immigrants in South Africa this year, some of which turned violent. In unrest reported earlier this month, shops and cars were set on fire in Durban and in Soweto, near Johannesburg.
The government has urged demonstrators to act peacefully while accepting the need for immigration reforms. It says tens of thousands of foreign nationals have been deported or repatriated since it began a crackdown earlier this year.
March and March, one of the groups behind the protests, initially set a deadline of 30 June for all undocumented migrants to leave the country. Several protests were held before that date, with reports of attacks on people from other African countries.
Zimbabwe, Nigeria and Ghana were among the countries that took steps to repatriate their citizens amid fears of further violence. Nigeria accused South African authorities of responsibility for the deaths of two of its citizens during that period, while Ghana confirmed that a citizen, Bashiru Isak, a father of three, was fatally shot in Cape Town during demonstrations targeting foreign nationals. His death led to a diplomatic row, with South Africa saying the scale of the violence had been exaggerated.
Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma, one of the leaders of the March and March movement, denied that she was xenophobic. "We can't be living with these people for so many years and now when we say it is too much, it is enough, we are told that we are xenophobic," she told the BBC's Focus on Africa programme.
A long history of attacks
South Africa has struggled with xenophobic attacks for nearly two decades. In 2008, more than 60 people were killed and tens of thousands displaced during widespread attacks on foreign nationals.
The latest unrest comes against a backdrop of widespread poverty, deep inequality and unemployment affecting roughly a third of the workforce. Migrants are frequently accused of taking jobs, contributing to crime and placing pressure on public services, although researchers say such sweeping claims are not supported by evidence. Despite its economic difficulties, South Africa remains one of the continent's main destinations for migrants seeking employment, safety and better opportunities.
Source: BBC World.
Questions and answers
- What happened to the foreign national in Durban?
- Police say a man believed to be in his late 30s or early 40s was first approached by two men at the roadside, then assaulted by a crowd of about 50 people. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
- Why are there anti-immigrant protests in South Africa?
- Groups including March and March demanded that undocumented migrants leave, setting a 30 June deadline, and several protests followed. The unrest comes amid poverty, inequality and high unemployment, though researchers say claims that migrants drive crime and joblessness are not supported by evidence.
- How has the South African government responded?
- It has urged demonstrators to act peacefully while accepting the need for immigration reforms, and says tens of thousands of foreign nationals have been deported or repatriated since a crackdown began earlier this year.
