News24 | Anti-immigrant violence explodes in Western Cape

Immigrants in the Overberg fled to the beaches and the mountains over the weekend as protests against immigrants gathered momentum. In Mossel Bay, the deaths of several Mozambican nationals were reported, and dozens of homes were burned. Dozens of families were displaced.

The Mozambican government said that five citizens had died in “xenophobic attacks” involving 800 Mozambicans in Mossel Bay at the weekend. About 300 had decided to return home. SAPS has confirmed two deaths of Mozambique nationals, aged 27 and 43, who were assaulted in an informal settlement in Mossel Bay.

In Kleinmond, hundreds of people staged a march on Sunday morning, demanding that foreigners leave the area.

This is the latest in a wave of anti-immigrant protests across the country, led or inspired by March and March.

At 07:00 on Sunday, according to police spokesperson Captain FC Van Wyk, about 500 people gathered to protest. They marched from the taxi rank to Overhills informal settlement, calling on immigrants to leave.

Many had already fled their homes on Saturday, following a meeting between the march organisers and SAPS on Friday evening.

When GroundUp arrived at about 14:00 on Monday, about 50 people were being sheltered in the community hall. Disaster management officials were assisting them. Many had been forced to leave their belongings behind.

READ | Anti-immigrant marchers have a right to protest, but must do so peacefully – ministers

Lado Amido, a Mozambican, said he had spent Friday night and Saturday night on the mountain behind the town.

Grant Cohen, ward councillor for Kleinmond in the Overstrand Municipality, said he had heard that some women and children were still hiding in the dunes near the beach. People had left their houses in fear, he said.

“We’re trying to make our space available for them as a safe place.”

Cohen said most of the group in the hall had said they wanted to return to their home country.

“On Saturday evening, foreigners started packing their things and going to the bush,” said a Malawian man, who was sitting at the beach. The man, who did not want to give his name, said the intimidation had started on Saturday. “They started going door to door. If they found someone, they threatened to beat him or do something terrible,” he said.

“We came from our countries because there’s poverty. We thought we could search for greener pastures here, but nothing is working,” he said.

Van Wyk said two people had been arrested for expired documentation and were due to appear in the Caledon Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday.

More than 200 immigrants,