South African police have established a special investigation team to probe the killing of a prominent anti-immigrant activist in Johannesburg, amid fears that the murder could trigger a wider outbreak of xenophobic violence in a country where tensions over migration have repeatedly turned deadly.
The activist, whose organisation had been accused of inciting violence against foreign nationals, was shot dead outside his home in what police described as a targeted killing. No group has claimed responsibility, but the murder has been condemned by both immigrant rights organisations, who fear it will be used to justify reprisals, and anti-immigrant groups, who have described the killing as an attack on their movement.
South Africa has experienced periodic outbreaks of xenophobic violence since the end of apartheid, most recently in 2024 when attacks on foreign-owned businesses and homes in several townships killed at least fifteen people and displaced thousands. The violence has been driven by a combination of high unemployment, inadequate public services and political rhetoric that blames immigrants for the country's problems.
The government has condemned the killing and has appealed for calm, but its ability to prevent violence is limited by a police service that is overstretched and, in some cases, compromised by corruption. Community leaders in areas with large immigrant populations have reported an increase in threats and intimidation since the murder, and several organisations have advised their members to stay indoors.
The special investigation team has been given a tight deadline to produce results. The minister of police said the killing would be treated as a national priority and that anyone found to have been involved would face the full force of the law. But in a country where the murder rate is among the highest in the world and the conviction rate for serious crimes is low, the gap between official statements and outcomes is wide.
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