More than 178,000 immigrants have suddenly fled or been deported from South Africa. Here's why

HARARE, Zimbabwe -- More than 178,000 African immigrants have left South Africa in recent months, spurred by a crackdown on undocumented migration by authorities and sometimes violent anti-immigration protests that have led many to leave citing fears of attacks.It's one of the most significant migrant exoduses from Africa's most advanced economy in years.The count is from authorities in the home countries the migrants have returned to. More than 115,000 people returned to neighboring Zimbabwe alone since late May and more than 56,000 returned to Malawi, according to those governments. Nigeria, Ghana, Mozambique and Lesotho have said they've each had more than 1,000 citizens returning from South Africa.The returns are a combination of people deported by South Africa and others taking up repatriation offers by South Africa or their home countries — which make up the vast majority. South Africa said this week that some 19,000 people had been officially deported since April.Advocacy groups have raised a series of concerns over the sudden movements of people, including for the thousands of children who have been pulled out of schools and for HIV patients cut off from life-saving treatme...