Dozens of foreign nationals sought urgent refuge at a Durban church center this Wednesday following a wave of targeted local harassment.
The influx at the Diakonia Council of Churches involves roughly 250 migrants, predominantly vulnerable women and children seeking physical safety.
Vigilante groups moving door to door in local townships have issued stark ultimatums demanding undocumented migrants leave by June 30.
Displaced families from the Democratic Republic of Congo reported explicit death threats from mobs if they fail to vacate their homes.
The targeted individuals originate from several African nations, including conflict-affected areas within Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda, and eastern Tanzania.
Activists dressed in traditional Zulu attire have spearhead these localized anti-migrant protests under the banner of the March and March group.
While these eviction demands lack any legal authority, widespread social media disinformation has severely intensified the atmosphere of fear.
Some victims reported being systematically robbed of cellphones and cash by intimidating neighborhood patrols operating in informal settlements.
Refugees initially sought safety at a nearby police station but were dispersed by law enforcement using teargas and rubber bullets.
South Africa faces a complex history of recurring xenophobic violence, with major deadly flare-ups previously recorded in 2008 and 2015.
Analysts note that anti-immigrant rhetoric frequently intensifies as political parties mobilize voters ahead of the upcoming local government elections.