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Cars Torched Shops Looted In South Africa Migrant Unrest

Cars torched and shops looted as anti-migrant violence erupts in South Africa, leaving foreign nationals, including Ghanaians, in fear in Gauteng Province. The violence broke out on Thursday, October 8, 2026, in Johannesburg and Pretoria townships, with locals accusing migrants of taking jobs and fuelling crime.

According to South African Police Service (SAPS), angry mobs set ablaze more than 15 cars belonging to foreign shop owners and looted over 40 spaza shops owned by Nigerians, Ethiopians, Somalis and Zimbabweans. Videos circulating on social media show buildings burning and people fleeing with goods, reminiscent of the 2019 and 2023 xenophobic attacks that claimed dozens of lives.

Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi condemned the attacks and deployed SAPS Public Order Police to affected areas, while urging communities to desist from vigilantism. He said anti-migrant groups like Operation Dudula have been inciting violence despite government efforts to regulate undocumented migration through new border management reforms.

The Ghana High Commission in Pretoria has issued an advisory to Ghanaians in South Africa to avoid hotspots, stay indoors and contact the mission in emergency. The High Commission said no Ghanaian death has been reported yet, but two Ghanaian-owned shops in Hillbrow were looted. South Africa hosts over 20,000 Ghanaians, many of whom are traders and students.

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The African Union and ECOWAS have condemned the violence, calling on South African authorities to protect all African migrants and prosecute perpetrators. Human rights groups say unemployment, poverty and political rhetoric are driving the recurring xenophobic violence in South Africa, which is Africa’s most industrialized economy but faces over 32% unemployment.

President John Dramani Mahama, who is on tour in Ahafo, is expected to task the Foreign Affairs Ministry to engage South African counterparts to ensure safety of Ghanaians. Ghanaians on social media have called for calm and for government to evacuate citizens if violence escalates, as seen during previous attacks in Durban and Cape Town.

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Author: Stella Sunu • Published on Howedey.com | Saturday, 10th October, 2026

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