Protests in South Africa turn violent with cars torched and gunshots fired

Anti-migrant protests in South Africa turned violent on Thursday, one in the coastal city of Durban and another in Johannesburg’s Soweto township.

Local media reports showed that cars were torched at both and gunshots were fired in Soweto.

The unrest in Durban followed a protest by a group demanding that a refugee centre stop processing asylum applications.

The reports said about 10 vehicles were overturned and set alight, while shops owned by foreign nationals were looted.

In Soweto, residents clashed with foreign shop owners, and gunshots were heard, broadcaster Newzroom Afrika said.

South Africa has seen months of anti-migrant marches this year that have drawn international criticism.

Some of the marches have descended into violence and looting, and thousands of African foreign nationals have fled the country.

Migrants are often blamed for taking jobs, fuelling crime and straining public services, claims that social scientists say are not supported by evidence.

Three decades since apartheid ended, South Africa remains deeply unequal, and about a third of people are out of work.

Despite this, it remains Africa’s largest economy and continues to draw migrants.