Violent xenophobic protests escalate in Jeffreys Bay, South Africa, ahead of municipal elections
via SeneNews5 min read
Violent protests in Jeffreys Bay, South Africa, fueled by rising xenophobia, are raising questions about migration management just months before municipal elections. South African soldiers and police are patrolling the township, searching homes and vehicles for loot after a march against undocumented migrants turned violent. This incident follows a June 30 deadline set by groups for undocumented migrants to leave the country, maintaining a volatile atmosphere. The government is attempting to balance its international reputation with criticism from South Africans who feel foreign nationals are prioritized over them, according to the Justice Minister. The unrest, occurring less than four months before municipal elections, shows no signs of abating, with Jeffreys Bay highlighting the risk of escalation. Unidentified individuals fired shots at a crowd attempting to evict undocumented migrants, injuring three people. Police deny their forces were involved, while witnesses and protest organizers accuse individuals protecting "spaza shops," often run by foreign nationals. Twenty-three such shops were looted during the third anti-migrant march in Jeffreys Bay since May. Muse Ismail, a 52-year-old Somali national and manager of a spaza shop, described how his shop was vandalized by residents. Police have arrested 69 people in connection with the Jeffreys Bay incidents, a significant number compared to the 350 arrests nationwide between May and July 8 for migrant-related movements. Zel
Free daily or weekly digest of the most important stories from across 18 African countries. No spam, unsubscribe any time.
This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by SeneNews.
Must ReadUNAIDS Executive Director Winnie Byanyima has urged African governments to re-evaluate their health spending priorities and implement "radical change" following a 25% reduction in UNAIDS funding last year. This decline in international humanitarian aid, stemming from cuts by Western countries including the US, France, Germany, and the UK, has severely impacted the fight against diseases like HIV/AIDS. Byanyima emphasized the need for Africa to adapt its health systems to achieve health sovereignty, advocating for increased regional integration and local drug production. Sub-Saharan Africa accounts for 64% of people living with HIV globally, with 60% of new infections last year occurring on the continent. Byanyima also highlighted a "serious regression in human rights" for people living with HIV, which discourages testing and treatment. She noted that only about 20 of 54 African countries do not criminalize same-sex relations, contributing to stigmatization. Despite these challenges, Byanyima expressed optimism about ending AIDS as a public health threat, citing new innovations like lenacapavir, a long-acting treatment that can be administered twice a year. While over 6,000 people in five African countries received lenacapavir by March 2026, Byanyima called for 20 million people to access this treatment and urged its developer, Gilead, to facilitate broader production through licensing. A South African laboratory is set to produce a generic version of lenacapavir, which studie
Must ReadDonald Trump stated that Iran would pay "many times over" for each American soldier killed, following the recent deaths of US military personnel in the Middle East. The former President announced this on his Truth Social network, indicating he had conveyed this directive to his military officials. Trump is scheduled to visit a military base in Delaware on Tuesday evening to receive the bodies of the recently killed soldiers, as confirmed by his spokesperson Karoline Leavitt on X. Three American service members have died in the Middle East in recent days: two on Friday from Iranian strikes in Jordan, with one still missing, and a third during the destruction of enemy munitions in Iraq. Trump had previously stated on Sunday that American strikes conducted on the same day were in honor of these soldiers.
Javier Tebas, president of the Spanish Football League, has accused FIFA of "destroying the football industry" following discussions about a potential 64-team World Cup in 2030. In an interview with an Italian sports daily, Tebas also stated that Gianni Infantino's time as FIFA president "is over," denouncing a "fundamentally flawed system" that has allowed him to lead FIFA for a decade. Tebas argued that increasing the number of national teams makes no sense, emphasizing that the football industry is not solely about the World Cup. He highlighted that the industry generates tens of thousands of jobs, unlike a 40-day event that involves only a minority of players. Tebas expressed concerns about the competition calendar and stressed that national competitions sustain the sport. He called for fewer national teams and better protection for national football at all levels, criticizing FIFA's irresponsible decision-making. Gianni Infantino had previously mentioned discussions about expanding the 2030 World Cup to 64 teams, which would be hosted across multiple countries including Spain, Portugal, Morocco, Paraguay, Uruguay, and Argentina. UEFA President Aleksander 膶eferin also expressed in April that such a format was "not a good idea for the World Cup nor for our qualifications."