JOHANNESBURG — South African police deployed additional units across Gauteng province on Saturday after a second day of clashes between residents and foreign nationals left several people injured and shops looted in townships around Johannesburg and Pretoria. The South African Police Service made multiple arrests.

The unrest followed protests on Thursday led by groups demanding the removal of undocumented migrants from informal settlements and public hospitals. Operation Dudula, the anti-migrant movement that has gained prominence in recent years, has organised marches and blockades targeting Zimbabwean, Malawian and Mozambican nationals.

Foreign-owned spaza shops were set alight and looted in areas including Diepsloot and Alexandra, according to residents and local reporters. Human rights groups, including the Southern African Human Rights Defenders Network, condemned the violence and accused political figures of inflaming tensions ahead of local disputes over service delivery.

The South African government faced renewed criticism over its handling of migration policy. The Department of Home Affairs has defended stricter documentation checks, while the Zimbabwean and Malawian governments have previously urged Pretoria to protect their citizens from attacks.

South Africa has experienced recurring waves of xenophobic violence since deadly attacks in 2008 and 2015, often driven by competition over jobs, housing and public services amid unemployment exceeding 30 percent. Aid organisations warned that further escalation could displace thousands.