South African police confirm Mozambicans killed in weekend violence

South African police on Tuesday confirmed the deaths of two Mozambican nationals following weekend violence in the coastal town of Mossel Bay, but stopped short of endorsing Mozambique's claim that five of its citizens were killed in xenophobic attacks.

The violence erupted on Friday after a protest against undocumented migrants, whom demonstrators accused of taking jobs from local residents.

Local media reported that dozens of informal homes were set ablaze, some while occupants were still inside.

In a statement issued late Monday, Mozambique's government said seven of its citizens had died. It said five were killed in what it described as xenophobic attacks, while two others died in a road accident as they travelled back to Mozambique.

If confirmed, the deaths would mark the first fatalities linked to a recent wave of anti-migrant protests that has spread across parts of South Africa in recent weeks.

South African police said only that two Mozambican men, aged 27 and 43, died after being assaulted following the march. Authorities said investigations are ongoing and declined to confirm whether the attacks were motivated by xenophobia.

The unrest comes amid growing tensions over undocumented migration, prompting Ghana to evacuate around 300 of its citizens last week, while Nigeria has also announced plans to repatriate some of its nationals.