What now and what happens next after the 30 June anti-immigration deadline, and where does South Africa go from here?

South Africa has moved past the so-called 30 June deadline set by anti-immigration groups for undocumented migrants to leave the country, a deadline with no legal standing but one that prompted heightened security deployments, fears of xenophobic violence, and widespread uncertainty. Government reiterated that the deadline is unlawful and warned against vigilante action, while police and the military remained on standby in identified hotspots. Reports indicate that thousands of migrants fled their homes or sought refuge in churches, embassies and temporary shelters, with some neighbouring countries beginning repatriation processes for their citizens, as authorities closely monitored tensions amid weeks of rising anti-migrant sentiment and violence. Speaking to John Maytham, Dr Rebecca Walker, senior researcher at Wits’ African Centre for Migration & Society, assesses what unfolded around the deadline, the state response, and the impact on migrants, communities and law enforcement across South Africa.

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