Other countries such as Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria and Uganda have also been arranging flights or buses for their citizens to return home in recent weeks.

Anti-immigrant groups have set June 30 as the deadline for the departure of undocumented immigrants, and many foreigners have decided to flee to escape violence and intimidation.

The South African government says more than 53,000 foreign nationals have recently been deported or voluntarily repatriated.

However, a count by the AFP news agency based on figures from the migrants’ governments of origin suggests that more than 160,000 people have left South Africa in the last two months.

Protesters have been demanding stricter border controls and mass deportations, accusing migrants of contributing to high unemployment, rising crime rates and the collapse of public services.

The UN has warned against scapegoating migrants for South Africa’s socio-economic challenges.

The petition to the ICC was presented by Palgrave Boakye-Danquah, former Ghanaian government spokesperson on governance and security, and Emmanuel Kotin, security and counterterrorism analyst.

It alleges a “pattern of widespread and systematic attacks” against immigrants in South Africa.

“For years, African brothers and sisters have been killed, beaten and driven from their homes in South Africa,” the two Ghanaian nationals said in a statement.

“While we commend those in South Africa who have condemned these acts, the pattern, scale and recurrence of violence raises serious questions about the failure of state authorities to prevent, investigate and punish these crimes.”

The ICC has not yet publicly commented on whether it will consider the petition.

On Sunday, leaders of the West African regional bloc Ecowas condemned reported attacks on African migrants in South Africa, especially the “despicable treatment of West African citizens.”

They called on South African authorities to act quickly to end the violence and ensure the safety of foreign citizens.

In response to the criticism, South Africa said it “categorically rejects[s] xenophobia, racism, homophobia and intolerance and discrimination in all their manifestations”, describing respect for the dignity of all people within its borders as a constitutional and moral duty.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has acknowledged public concerns about migration but condemned attacks on migrants and warned citizens not to take the law into their own hands.

Regarding the ICC’s request, the country’s Foreign Ministry said South Africa remains “firm in maintaining the rule of law” and will ensure that “those who perpetrate violence or illegal acts are held fully accountable before our judicial system.”

He called for broader talks with the African Union (AU) on the root causes of migration across the continent.

South Africa is the richest nation on the continent and has long attracted immigrants seeking better economic opportunities, some of whom enter illegally.

According to official figures, there are more than three million documented foreigners in South Africa, which does not include those who are in the country illegally.