Anti-Immigrant Riots in South Africa

Coming soon to a neighborhood near you. The Daily Mail reports that the riots have been ongoing for the past two weeks in Durban and spreading to Johannesburg, and have led to 6 deaths. According to the article, the riots are the result of high unemployment rates and a large number of immigrants. "In the past two weeks, shops and homes owned by Somalis, Ethiopians, Malawians and other immigrants in Durban and surrounding townships have been targeted, forcing families to flee to camps protected by armed guards."

The protests are not white versus blacks. Channel 4 News reports, for instance:

Reported comments by the Zulu King Goodwill Zwelithini - that foreigners should "pack their bags" and leave - are thought to have stoked the fires of hatred. Many of those rioting were heard chanting "the king has spoken".

The International Business Times reports:

Police have stepped up their presence across the entire Alberta Park area of the city, home to many immigrants. The unrest is believed to have its source in a labour dispute at a local supermarket, which has escalated into random attacks on foreigners. 

"The employees were complaining about the employer employing foreign nationals," Police Minister Nathi Nhleko said, reports EWN. 

More than 1,000 foreigners - including Ethiopians, Malawians, Somalians and Pakistanis - have been forced to flee their homes in the KwaZulu-Natal province since the violence erupted days ago, after Zulu King Goodwill Zwelithini said that foreigners should "pack their bags" and leave. 

Some locals accuse the immigrants, many of whom are from other African countries, of taking jobs and opportunities away from them.

Newsweek also relates: "'It is African-on-African. It is not on other nationalities,' said [Police Minister] Nhleko."