A 45-year-old Ugandan man, Simon, is recovering in hospital after being attacked by a mob of March and March supporters in Durban, South Africa, on October 21, 2026. The attack, which was captured on video and widely shared on social media, shows Simon being chased and beaten by a group of masked protesters wielding various weapons. He suffered several injuries, including a bloody puncture wound on his back, which he believes was caused by a club with a nail driven through it.
Simon recounted his experience to a journalist from the Daily Maverick, saying he was at work on Yusuf Dadoo Street in the Durban city centre when he heard the sounds of a nearby protest organised by March and March. Fearing a confrontation with the marchers, he decided to go home but was confronted by another group of marchers heading straight towards him. Some were carrying weapons and wearing masks and balaclavas, prompting him to make a run for it.
As Simon ran, the group of marchers gave chase, and he was eventually surrounded and beaten. He said he momentarily lost consciousness and lost his phone, wallet, and documents. A leader in the Ugandan community, who identified himself only as "Andrew", facilitated an interview with Simon and accompanied him to Addington Hospital, where he was being treated for his injuries.
The attack on Simon is part of a larger pattern of violence against foreign nationals in Durban throughout 2026. According to the Siyafana Sonke Action Campaign, a civil society coalition that supports refugees in Durban, there has been a steady escalation in violence directed against foreign nationals by anti-migrant groups since May 2026.
The Siyafana Sonke Action Campaign's Yeshelen Govender noted that a pattern is clearly identifiable, where small groups of masked and armed men break off from anti-immigrant marches and conduct "document checks" or interrogations in isiZulu. Failure to immediately prove a commanding grasp of the local language invariably results in a beating.
March and March has consistently characterised itself as a non-violent movement and distanced itself from supporters who perpetrate acts of violence. However, the organisation's spokesperson, Sandile Dube, did not respond to a query asking for comment on the acts of violence that had accompanied March and March events.
The incident has raised concerns over anti-immigrant violence in South Africa, with police taking five men into custody for questioning over the murder of a foreign national and the attempted murder of Simon. The Daily Maverick's XenoBarometer project tracks the anti-immigrant movement and its impact, aiming to surface underreported stories and potential rights abuses.
Key points
- A 45-year-old Ugandan man was attacked by a mob of March and March supporters in Durban, South Africa, on October 21, 2026.
- The attack is part of a larger pattern of violence against foreign nationals in Durban throughout 2026.
- Police have taken five men into custody for questioning over the murder of a foreign national and the attempted murder of the Ugandan man.
