JEFFREYS BAY, Eastern Cape — A recent anti-illegal immigration protest in Jeffreys Bay has escalated into violent looting, leaving local business owners with devastating financial losses and the broader Ocean View community demanding accountability. The unrest, which began as a demonstration against undocumented migrants, has resulted in widespread property damage, injuries, and a significant police crackdown.
Local spaza shop owner Ismael Musa, alongside associate Hassan Muhammad, reported losing nearly R200,000 worth of stock during the Thursday unrest. Musa recounted receiving a warning from a neighboring business before looters breached the shop’s yard, breaking windows, security bars, and the roller door. Despite having purchased R60,000 worth of unopened stock just a day prior—including bulk milk, cooking oil, meat, and cigarettes—the shop was left with bare shelves. Musa credited the timely arrival of the South African Police Service (SAPS) for saving his life and preventing further destruction, though he has remained unable to operate for days while awaiting community support.
The South African Police Service has arrested 69 individuals on charges of public violence in connection with the looting of over 20 shops in the Ocean View area. In the aftermath, a local church has stepped in to provide shelter for approximately 24 displaced foreign nationals, while documented migrants are reportedly being voluntarily repatriated over the weekend.
Organizers from the “March and March” movement, who initially planned the demonstrations, expressed shock at the violence. Affiliates stated that their previous gatherings, including a major march on June 30, were peaceful and well-attended. They allege that the community hijacked the event, demanding a more aggressive approach, which allowed criminal elements to exploit the situation for looting. The movement has announced plans to continue weekly demonstrations until the government addresses their demands regarding illegal immigration, with a community feedback meeting scheduled to address the recent escalation.
The unrest took a dangerous turn when community members alleged that occupants of four unmarked vehicles—described as buggies or Rangers without number plates—opened fire on protesters. The armed individuals reportedly claimed they were hired by Somali shop owners to protect their businesses. Following an argument and allegations that stones were thrown at the vehicles, witnesses state that four gunshots were fired into the air before the occupants shot directly into the crowd, all in the presence of police and soldiers. Two protesters were shot, with one remaining hospitalized for recovery.
A local social justice activist emphasized that the community’s frustration is fundamentally rooted in poverty, high unemployment, and the proliferation of drugs, rather than solely targeting individuals. The activist linked the current immigration crisis to the local government’s ongoing failure to economically develop the region.
Furthermore, investigators are actively probing the role of march leaders in instigating the violence, with the possibility of further arrests. Authorities also issued a crucial clarification: a recently reported house fire was caused by an electrical fault, not protest-related action.
As the investigation unfolds, nine of the arrested individuals are scheduled to appear in the local magistrate’s court on Monday. Meanwhile, the Ocean View community remains adamant that not all those detained were involved in the looting, highlighting the complex and tense atmosphere that continues to grip the area.
