Looting, arrests after South Africa's anti-foreigner protests

Ransacked shelves and discarded packaging were all that remained inside several shops near the port city of Durban Wednesday after looting during protests demanding that undocumented foreign nationals leave South Africa.

Several thousand people marched across the country Tuesday after a weeks-long campaign led by fringe groups for illegal migrants to go home by June 30 that had already led thousands to flee.

Police were out in force for the protests, announcing Wednesday that most were peaceful but around 900 people were arrested, some for looting.

In Clermont outside Durban, looters stripped shops of food, appliances, building material and clothing following the demonstrations, the owners said.

Some estimated losses running into millions of rand, saying they were uncertain whether they would be able to reopen.

Immigration protest groups set an unofficial ultimatum for undocumented migrants to go home. By EMMANUEL CROSET (AFP)

Mohamed Abdul, 29, said a large group of protesters stormed his shop selling food, hardware and clothing, at around 6:00 pm Tuesday.

"We are not illegal in the country but they just started looting. I was scared and felt betrayed because we had 19 people employed here but today they have no job," Abdul said.

"The protesters were screaming at us and calling us names in Zulu," he said.

Originally from Somalia, Abdul said he had been based in the area for 11 years.

"The community knows me and this is one of the main stores people rely on and we used to donate to families who have nothing."

The looters even took an ATM machine that had been inside the supermarket, he said, but the safe was left outside.

900 arrests

Fearful of a repeat of unrest five years ago when around 350 people were killed, the government imposed major security for Tuesday's marches.

It was the first coordinated nationwide day of demonstrations in a weeks-long campaign of protests against illegal migrants, accused by protest groups of taking work from locals.

Police said there were 120 marches nationwide Tuesday. By Marco LONGARI (AFP)

A government multi-agency security body said there were 120 marches nationwide Tuesday and only 12 required law enforcement intervention.

Of the more than 900 people arrested, most were undocumented foreigners and South African looters, it said.

While thousands were estimated to have taken part, the rallies were not as large and violent as had been expected, politics expert Henning Melber told AFP.

The organisers "were too overconfident of their popularity", said governance expert Tendai Mbanje.

Without the backing of some minor political parties, there would have been even "fewer numbers", he said.