Durban businesses close as locals protest against immigrant traders

Businesses in Durban temporarily closed this week as local traders protested against immigrant shop owners, according to AllAfrica reporting.

The protests reflect a broader pattern of hostility toward foreign nationals, many from elsewhere in Africa, who operate informal and formal retail businesses in South African cities. Traders from countries including Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Malawi have repeatedly been targeted in incidents of intimidation, looting and displacement in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban.

The unrest comes amid persistent unemployment in South Africa, where the official rate remains above 30 percent, fueling anti-immigrant sentiment and competition over small-business opportunities.

The issue is also drawing diplomatic attention. In the same week as the Durban protests, Ghana’s Foreign Affairs Ministry said it had engaged South Africa over what it described as xenophobic treatment of Ghanaian nationals. The overlapping complaints suggest the problem is widening rather than easing.

South Africa has repeatedly condemned xenophobic violence, but critics say the state’s enforcement response has not been strong enough to stop recurring attacks.