Police officers have been deployed across South Africa amid fears that anti-immigration protests could turn violent, with President Cyril Ramaphosa urging those considering taking part to do so without “intimidation, threats or ultimatums”.
The planned protests mark an unofficial deadline set by activists for all undocumented foreigners to leave the country.
Many have already fled to escape violence and intimidation. South African police say 25,000 people have been repatriated so far. Most come from other African countries.
An undocumented Malawian told the BBC he was “happy to come back” but “heartbroken” to leave behind four young children.
Johannesburg, where one of the protests is planned, is unusually quiet.
All stores near where protesters gathered are closed, while police visibility is high on the city’s main streets.
Police said five people were arrested in Johannesburg’s largest township, Soweto, for allegedly looting a foreign-owned store.
Five people were also arrested for allegedly breaking into a sweet shop in Hammarsdale, KwaZulu-Natal province.
Many businesses in central Durban, the province’s main city, are closed.
Ramaphosa has repeatedly urged protesters to act peacefully and responsibly, while accepting the need for immigration reforms.
“Some foreign nationals who live in South Africa are here legally,” he said. reminded citizens in its weekly bulletinexternal.
“They work, study, raise families, invest in our economy and contribute positively to our society. They too are entitled to the protection of our laws and our Constitution.
“The right to protest and freedom of expression do not allow individuals to threaten or intimidate others, nor to engage in acts of vandalism or violence,” he wrote.
There are more than three million legal foreign nationals in South Africa, according to official figures.
The statistics do not take into account the growing number of migrants believed to be in the country without papers – a bone of contention for protesters.
A Soweto resident told the BBC that protesters simply wanted foreigners to “comply” with South Africa’s laws.
She said she was not concerned that the march in Johannesburg would turn violent due to the heavy police presence.
Another protester, part of the anti-migrant group Operation Dudula, said he would “push the police to do their” job if undocumented migrants did not leave South Africa.
Before the deadline, thousands of migrants have been waiting for several weeks for processing in temporary camps, fearing for their safety.
In Durban, which has been the scene of some of the biggest protests, white tents housing mainly Malawians are being dismantled as authorities rush to clear the transit camp.
Women dressed in colorful sarongs sat on their belongings, waiting in line to board a bus back to Malawi.
One man, Nelson Mbewe, said he had gone to South Africa in search of work to support his family in Malawi.
“But we have faced difficulties: they say we should go home because we don’t have the right documents,” he told the BBC.
“They say we are Makwerekwere” – a xenophobic slur used to refer to African migrants from other countries – Mbewe said.
“It’s their country, so what can we do? That’s why we agreed to simply have to [unwillingly] go home.”
Hassan Phiri, a Malawian still awaiting trial, had a message for the protesters.
“All I want to say to South Africans is that we are one. Whatever happens, whatever happens, Africa must remain Africa.
“Africa cannot be Africa without South Africa… without Malawi, without anywhere,” he told the BBC, adding: “So whatever happens, we have to love each other and stay together as Africa.”
Anti-migrant marches were authorized on Tuesday in Durban, Johannesburg and other cities.
Authorities warned organizers to ensure there was no violence, but said they were prepared for any potential disruption.
Police say traditional weapons are not allowed. This could lead to tensions between protesters and police, as many protesters are of Zulu origin and take their shields, whips and sticks when participating in demonstrations.
According to the government, more than 12,000 immigrants have been deported or repatriated since a wave of protests began earlier this year.
Ghana, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria and Zimbabwe have been organizing repatriations by plane or bus for several weeks. About 3,500 foreigners volunteered to leave.
South African authorities say more than 500 repatriated Nigerians did not have proper documentation, a claim Nigeria has disputed.
Xenophobia is a long-standing problem in South Africa and sometimes leads to violence.
According to Xenowatch, a xenophobic violence monitoring tool from the African Center for Migration and Society (ACMS), two people have been killed this year.
In 2008, more than 60 people died during a wave of riots against non-South Africans.