WHY Migrants Are Seeking Refuge in South Africa’s Mountains

African migrants in South Africa’s Western Cape are fleeing into mountains and emergency shelters after anti-immigrant mobs reportedly went door-to-door ordering foreigners to leave, according to a Reuters report.

The fear has been especially visible in Kleinmond, where migrants from Mozambique and Malawi said they abandoned homes after threats and intimidation. Some spent nights hiding outdoors before reaching a local town hall, where about 100 migrants were sheltering.

The violence follows a wider surge in xenophobic attacks across South Africa. Mozambique said five of its citizens were killed in Mossel Bay, while reports said hundreds of Mozambicans were affected by the unrest and some returned home ,reports.

Human Rights Watch has warned that recent vigilante attacks have targeted foreign nationals in South Africa, with concerns over weak protection from authorities. President Cyril Ramaphosa has condemned xenophobic violence while also calling for stronger migration management.

For many migrants, the mountains became a temporary refuge because staying at home felt more dangerous than sleeping outside. The crisis highlights how anti-immigrant tensions, unemployment fears and vigilante action are placing vulnerable African communities at immediate risk.