The U.S. Consulate in South Africa, on Wednesday, issued a security alert over reports of locals unleashing violence and looting foreigners’ properties.

In a security alert dated October 7, the U.S. Consulate General in Durban said it “is aware of reports of looting and violence targeting foreign nationals in Durban’s central business district (CBD) today, October 7, 2026.”

The security alert specifically mentioned an incident of violence and looting targeting foreigners “near the Bayside Hotel, 116 Dr. Pixley KaSeme Street (formerly West Street).”

Warning U.S. citizens, the security alert said, “U.S. government personnel have been instructed to exercise extreme caution in this area and divert travel as needed until further notice.”

This comes amid months of sustained xenophobic attacks targeting African immigrants in South Africa.

Widespread attacks and campaigns against immigrants by South Africans have seen thousands of Nigerians, Ghanaians, Kenyans, Mozambicans and Zimbabweans flee South Africa for their lives in recent months.

Though the South African government has dissociated itself from widespread xenophobic attacks, citizens have intensified attacks on immigrants.