A shack burns in Oceanview, Jeffreys Bay, on Thursday during a March and March anti-immigrant protest.
Image: Supplied
The South African Police Service says calm has returned to Jeffreys Bay and the wider Kouga region a day after violent anti-immigrant protests left dozens arrested and spaza shops looted.
Police spokesperson, Brigadier Nobuntu Gantana, confirmed that Public Order Policing and Visible Policing units would remain in the area to prevent further unrest and reassure residents.
The update follows Thursday's protests in Oceanview, which escalated into looting and public violence. At least 23 foreign-owned spaza shops were targeted.
Police have arrested 69 people, aged between 18 and 52, on charges of public violence. All remain in custody and are expected to appear in the Humansdorp Magistrate's Court on July 20.
Provincial commissioner Lieutenant-General Vuyisile Ncata has instructed officers to intensify search-and-seizure operations aimed at recovering property stolen during the unrest.
Investigators are also looking into the role played by march leaders, with police indicating that further arrests may follow depending on the outcome of the investigation.
Several foreign nationals who were affected by the attacks have been placed in temporary accommodation for their safety.
Three people who sustained injuries during the unrest were referred for medical treatment.
Authorities have also moved to correct reports linking a house fire in the area to the protests.
SAPS said the structure was damaged by an electrical fault and that the fire was not connected to protest activity.
Foreign-owned spaza shops remain closed as a precaution while police continue to monitor the area.
Police visibility has been increased across the Kouga region, with additional officers remaining on deployment.
Ncata said the return to calm was encouraging, but warned that police would maintain a strong presence.
"We are satisfied with the current calm, but we will not let our guard down," he said.
He appealed to community leaders to continue engaging residents and to cooperate with police in recovering looted goods.
"I call on community leaders to continue engaging residents and to cooperate with police in handing over any looted goods. Lawlessness will not be tolerated, and those who break the law will face the full might of justice," Ncata said.
The Jeffreys Bay unrest forms part of a broader wave of anti-immigration protests that have surfaced in several parts of South Africa in recent weeks.
Police have not yet indicated when the affected spaza shops will be allowed to reopen, saying security assessments are ongoing.