Mozambique Says Five Citizens Killed in South Africa Xenophobic Attacks

MAPUTO — The Mozambican government says at least five of its citizens were killed in what it described as xenophobic attacks in South Africa over the weekend, marking the first officially reported deaths linked to a recent wave of anti-immigration protests sweeping parts of the country.

In a statement released on Tuesday, the government said approximately 800 Mozambican nationals were caught up in violence that erupted in the coastal town of Mossel Bay in South Africa’s Western Cape Province on Friday. According to the statement, seven Mozambican citizens died during the unrest. Five of the deaths were directly linked to the attacks, while two others died in a road accident while travelling back to Mozambique.

“Regrettably, seven Mozambican citizens have died, five of them as a direct consequence of the xenophobic attacks and the other two as a result of a road accident, when they were travelling in a private vehicle on their way back to Mozambique,” the government said.

Mozambican authorities said around 300 citizens returned home on Saturday following the violence, while more than 500 others were relocated to a secure location in the Western Cape pending repatriation.

“The remaining just over 500 have since been sheltered in a safe location in the Western Cape Province, and the process of their repatriation to Mozambique is already underway,” the statement added.

The repatriation effort is being coordinated between Mozambican authorities and South African officials as concerns grow over the safety of foreign nationals in affected areas.

South African police confirmed that they are investigating the deaths of two men at an informal settlement in Mossel Bay, approximately 380 kilometres east of Cape Town. While authorities acknowledged reports of xenophobic violence in the area, police have not officially linked the deaths to the protests and have not disclosed the nationalities of the victims. The unrest comes amid a growing wave of anti-migrant demonstrations in several South African communities, where some groups have accused undocumented immigrants of contributing to crime, unemployment, and pressure on public services.

The Mayor of Mossel Bay, Dirk Kotze, expressed concern over the attacks and called for calm.

“We are deeply concerned and dismayed by the current xenophobic attacks where people have been murdered, houses burned, and families displaced,” Kotze said. Community leaders and human rights organisations have also condemned the violence, warning that attacks targeting foreign nationals threaten social cohesion and regional relations within Southern Africa.

The latest incidents have raised concerns across the Southern African Development Community (SADC), where cross-border migration plays a significant role in regional economies. Mozambique and South Africa share strong economic and social ties, with thousands of Mozambicans living and working in South Africa, particularly in mining, agriculture, construction, and domestic service sectors.

Analysts warn that continued violence against foreign nationals could strain diplomatic relations and undermine efforts to promote regional integration and labour mobility. Authorities in both countries have urged communities to remain calm while investigations into the incidents continue.

South Africa xenophobic attacks