President Yoweri Museveni has directed immediate evacuation of Ugandan nationals from South Africa amid escalating anti-immigration violence and xenophobic tensions in the country.

The directive came hours after an Ugandan, identified as Niwamanya Wilberforce, was reportedly beaten to death in KwaZulu-Natal province on Saturday.

A statement signed by the Uganda’s acting minister of foreign affairs, Haruna Kasolo, on Sunday, said the evacuation plan was scheduled to commence in the next few days.

Noting that 746 Ugandans had voluntarily registered and sought assistance for evacuation due to security concerns, the statement noted that many Ugandans had already left the rainbow country on their own following the June 30 deadline reportedly issued by the anti-immigration groups.

“It should be noted that the governments of some African countries have also evacuated their nationals from South Africa under the current circumstances,” it added.

According to the statement, the evacuation plan entails the registration of affected Ugandans the various provinces, their transfer to safe assembly centres, the issuance of emergency travel documents where necessary, and coordination with relevant immigration authorities to facilitate their departure from South Africa.

The government condoled with the deceased’s family, adding that preparations were underway to repatriate his body to the country.

The xenophobic attacks targeted at foreign nationals in the rainbow forced countries, including Nigeria, Ghana, Malawi, Mozambique and Zimbabwe, to evacuate a number of their citizens willing to leave the country.

Meanwhile, South Africa’s minister of justice, Mmamoloko Kubayi, on Saturday, allayed fears over possible attacks on foreigners in the country, insisting that June 30 deadline was not recognised by the government and remains a normal day.

“Enforcement of the law is the responsibility of the state. We are ready as a state to protect foreign nationals and citizens against any form of abuse and intimidation. This indicates that 30th of June is normal day. It’s not shutdown or blow away,” Ms Kubayi stated.