It's not the first time SA has witnessed xenophobic violence.
The root causes of the latest attacks are unclear, but analysts suggest high unemployment and grinding poverty are fuelling criminality.
The flare-up in violence has caused a diplomatic dispute between Africa's two biggest economies.
Retaliatory attacks in Nigeria last week forced SA businesses there to shut down for several days.
Nigerian president Muhammadu Buhari will visit SA next month to seek a solution.