03/06/2026
PLEASE STOP LOOTING FOREIGNERS BUSINESSES SOME OF THEM SELL POISONED FOOD.
Widespread looting of foreign-owned businesses has recently escalated across South Africa, particularly in Estcourt (KwaZulu-Natal) and Bloemfontein (Free State), driven by intense anti-immigrant sentiment and local political tensions. As of early June 2026, many targeted shops remain closed or are operating with extreme caution under heavy police presence.
Current Hotspots and Incidents
Estcourt, KwaZulu-Natal: Approximately 10 foreign-owned shops were looted on May 29, 2026, including clothing stores, internet cafes, and cell phone shops.
Trigger: The violence is linked to a court ruling that allowed 38 foreign shop owners to resume trading after their keys were confiscated by the local municipality.
Current Status: A state of uneasy calm has returned as of May 30, but shop owners remain fearful and are keeping doors only partially open.
Bloemfontein, Free State: Planned "shutdown" protests recently devolved into criminal looting, leading to about 100 arrests by the South African Police Service (SAPS)
Johannesburg & Surrounding Areas: Reports of xenophobic attacks and looting have surfaced in the Johannesburg CBD and Thembisa, with police escorting foreign nationals out of high-risk areas.
Cape Town: Looting of foreign-owned food shops was reported in Kraaifontein on May 29.