At least four Mozambicans have been killed and several others injured during clashes with South African citizens in Mossel Bay, in South Africa’s Western Cape province, according to a leader of the Mozambican community.
According to Manuel Chicanhane, leader of the Mozambican community in Western Cape province, the Mozambicans killed in the Mossel Bay clashes were victims of extreme violence. Speaking to Rádio Moçambique, he said they were attacked with various types of weapons.
“They used instruments and machetes, some were stabbed and others were beaten with stones,” he said. “That is how our Mozambican brothers lost their lives in a neighbourhood in Mossel Bay,” he added.
According to the community leader, the clashes involved Mozambican and South African citizens living in the area, in a context marked by tensions against foreigners. In addition to the deaths, the incidents left several people injured, some of whom remain hospitalised.
“Some Mozambicans are in hospital, but to this day we still do not have the total number of Mozambicans who have been hospitalised,” said Manuel Chicanhane.
According to Chicanhane, the violence began on Thursday night and culminated in attacks targeting the homes of Mozambicans and other foreign nationals. Faced with the attacks, some residents reacted in self-defence.
“They almost set fire to all the houses belonging to Mozambicans in that neighbourhood. The foreigners also started reacting to defend themselves. That is why these deaths occurred,” he explained.
South Africa: Social tensions against migrants
In recent years, South Africa has experienced several demonstrations and episodes of social tension directed against migrants. Earlier this month, a march against immigration ended in attacks on businesses owned by foreign nationals in the Eastern Cape province, in the east of the country.
Episodes of xenophobia remain a recurring problem in South Africa. On different occasions, immigrant communities have been repatriated by their countries of origin, including Mozambique and Nigeria. The country has also faced criticism from the international community because of the persistence of xenophobic attacks.
The reports come after Mozambican President Daniel Chapo stated on 5 May, during a visit to South Africa, that there had been no recorded cases of Mozambican citizens being killed or injured in xenophobia-related incidents in the neighbouring country. On that occasion, the head of state also criticised the circulation of false information on social media regarding the issue.
The most serious xenophobic incidents of recent years occurred at the end of 2019, when 18 foreign nationals were killed, according to figures from the human rights organisation Human Rights Watch.
Currently, around 300,000 Mozambicans live in South Africa. In a statement released previously, the Mozambican Presidency said that “thousands” of citizens had already returned to the country because of the violence recorded in South Africa.
@Twum_111 Tuck Shops Owned by Foreign Nationals Set Alight in Nonqaba, Mossel Bay — Western Cape Hit by Fresh Wave of Xenophobic Attacks pic.twitter.com/p8UOyN1Q49
— TrendzoneGH (@TrendzoneGh) May 30, 2026
Source: Deutsche Welle with Lusa