Ramaphosa warning to vigilantes fails to quell South Africa's anti-migrant protests

Hundreds of anti-migrant protesters marched through a township outside Johannesburg on Monday, a day after South African President Cyril Ramaphosa pledged action against groups accused of fuelling xenophobic violence.

South Africa has seen recurring bouts of anti-migrant violence, with protests intensifying this year after vigilante groups ordered undocumented foreigners to leave by June 30.

Chanting and singing as they moved through Kwa-Thema, a township about 40 kilometres southeast of Johannesburg, protesters called for tougher government action against illegal immigration.

"We want the government to implement the laws and go and build a wall on the border. Stop these people from flocking into the country. That is simple," said lead campaigner Nkosikhona Phakel'umthakathi Ndabandaba.

The march was peaceful even though some participants carrying sticks and others waved placards reading "Go home."

Similar marches involving dozens of people were reported elsewhere, including in the Western Cape and Limpopo provinces, in what appears to be a spreading push against undocumented migrants that is being spearheaded by several xenophobic groups.

At least two Mozambican citizens have been killed in the latest wave of unrest and several countries, including Mozambique and Ghana, have organised the return of some of their citizens.

Ramaphosa acknowledged public concerns over illegal immigration but warned that the authorities would not tolerate anyone taking the law into their own hands.

"We will and must not allow groups to use the legitimate concerns of South Africans to destabilise our country through inciting lawlessness and violence," he said in a national address late on Sunday.

No-one, he said "is allowed, for example, to confront someone in the street to demand proof of nationality."

"There is no space for xenophobia, racism, sexism, Afrophobia or any other forms of intolerance in South Africa."

"We will act against forces who are exploiting the concerns of our people about illegal immigration to further their own political, personal or criminal agendas," the president said.

Organisers of the protests responded swiftly, saying they were encouraged that Ramaphosa had put the issue on the national agenda but vowed to press ahead with their campaign.

"We respect him as a leader and we hope he will deliver another speech that is directed to the problems that we have," said Ndabandaba.

South Africa, one of Africa's leading economies, is home to more than three million foreigners, just over five percent of the population.

Unemployment is running