South African police said more than 900 people were arrested on Tuesday, when there were nationwide anti-migrant protests which were mostly peaceful but occasionally descended into violence and looting.

Tebello Mosikili, a deputy national police commissioner, told a press conference that of the 120 marches that took place on Tuesday, 108 were peaceful while 12 needed law enforcement to intervene due to unrest.

Some of those arrested were undocumented migrants detained for violating immigration rules, while others were arrested for public violence, harbouring illegal immigrants and robbery.

Mosikili said police reinforcements had been deployed to five of the country's nine provinces overnight to respond to isolated incidents of looting and criminality.

Supporting police officers

Soldiers were sent to Johannesburg's Hillbrow neighbourhood to support the police, where two people – including a 17‑year‑old – were shot and injured when unknown attackers opened fire on protesters.

Tuesday's marches were organised to mark a "deadline" an anti-immigrant movement had set for undocumented migrants to leave South Africa.

The protests came after months of unrest that have drawn international criticism as foreigners have been driven from their homes and seen their businesses and property vandalised.

Organisers of the protests say they will continue demonstrations for the next three months, insisting government must act on undocumented migrants after the unofficial 30 June deadline for foreign nationals to leave the country.

The 30 June mobilisation formed part of a broader campaign demanding the removal of undocumented migrants, a push that has triggered tensions and sporadic violence in recent days.