Fear grips migrant salon owners in PMB as pressure campaign escalates
One salon owner, who asked not to be named for fear of victimisation, described the situation as distressing and destabilising.
A wave of fear has swept through a busy stretch of Langalibalele Street in Pietermaritzburg, where foreign-owned salon operators say they are being threatened and pressured to surrender their businesses amid rising anti-migrant sentiment.
One salon owner, who asked not to be named for fear of victimisation, described the situation as distressing and destabilising.
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I have all the documents that allow me to stay and work in South Africa. I rent this space legally and I pay for everything required to run my business.
“It is very painful to be told that I must leave and hand over my keys when I have done nothing wrong. This business supports my family and the people who work with me.”
She said the atmosphere along the street has changed dramatically in recent weeks, with many foreign-owned businesses operating under a cloud of fear.
“We wake up every day not knowing what will happen next,” she added.
What began as a campaign targeting undocumented foreign nationals has escalated into anxiety among documented business owners, some of whom claim they are being intimidated into handing over shops they legally rent and operate.
Several salon owners told The Witness that groups of anti-migration protesters recently entered businesses along the commercial strip, demanding that foreign nationals vacate premises and “hand over the keys” to South Africans.
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They said attempts to present valid immigration and work documentation were ignored.
The incidents come amid a broader national debate on undocumented migration, with law enforcement operations and municipal crackdowns intensifying across parts of KwaZulu-Natal.
Authorities have said the operations are aimed at enforcing immigration laws and municipal bylaws, while communities have raised concerns about crime, pressure on public services and economic competition.
However, the situation has also raised concerns about the treatment of legally documented migrants, with fears that anti-immigration sentiment is spilling over into intimidation and vigilante-style action.
Addressing the KwaZulu-Natal Legislature on Thursday, Premier Thami Ntuli said migration was a global challenge that required careful management rather than division.
Migration itself is not the problem … The challenge before governments is how to manage migration in a manner that protects human dignity, safeguards the rule of law, strengthens public confidence and ensures that development benefits all who live within our communities.
He cautioned against conflating undocumented migrants with those who are legally in the country, adding that discrimination and xenophobia must be rejected in all forms.
Mozambique has become the latest African country to accuse South Africa of failing to protect its citizens after several Mozambicans reportedly died during recent unrest in Mossel Bay in the Western Cape.
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The Mozambican government said about 300 of its nationals had already returned home following the unrest, while more than 500 others had been moved to safety in the Western Cape as repatriation efforts continued.
Meanwhile, Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia has warned that threats, intimidation or attacks targeting undocumented foreign nationals ahead of June 30 will result in criminal prosecution as authorities move to contain rising tensions linked to anti-migrant sentiment.