South Africa is ramping up security nationwide ahead of a June 30 deadline set by anti-migrant protest groups for undocumented foreigners to leave the country, as weeks of xenophobic attacks have killed at least two people and prompted mass repatriations.

Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia announced Monday that police have elevated operational readiness across all provinces, with comprehensive deployment plans to protect communities, critical infrastructure, and key public spaces.

Defense Minister Angie Motshekga said the military will secure strategic sites such as airports and stand ready to assist police if needed, as the country braces for potential violence.

South Africa, a long-standing hub for migrant labor, faces unemployment above 30% and a history of anti-foreigner violence, fueled by allegations that migrants drive crime and steal jobs.

Political parties including the Patriotic Alliance, ActionSA, and uMkhonto we Sizwe increasingly frame migrants as competitors for jobs and public services, stoking tensions.

Vigilante groups are growing, feeding off frustrations over unemployment and socioeconomic decline, according to activist Mpho Makhubela of the Consortium for Refugees and Migrants in South Africa.

The country has seen deadly anti-migrant riots before: 62 people were killed in 2008, and at least 12 died in 2019 when armed mobs attacked foreign-owned businesses around Johannesburg.

The latest tensions come ahead of local government elections on November 4, with four people linked to political parties shot dead during voter registration last weekend, including two from opposition MK party led by former President Jacob Zuma.

Source: www.aljazeera.com