About 300 anti-migrant protesters marched to a regional summit in South Africa on Monday, demanding the gathered leaders "fetch their people."

The demonstration was called by one of the fringe anti-immigrant groups behind weeks of protests that led tens of thousands of foreign nationals to flee.

A helicopter and drones flew overhead as officers on horseback and motorbikes marshalled the relatively small group of marchers to the perimeter of the 16-nation Southern African Development Community (SADC) summit in the coastal city of Durban.

"We are here to tell you to come and fetch your people who are here in South Africa illegally," march leader Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma said.

'Deeply concerned and ashamed'

She referenced Malawi, Mozambique, and Zimbabwe, the three countries whose citizens made up the bulk of around 176,000 foreign nationals who left as protests intensified, according to an AFP tally.

President Cyril Ramaphosa said at a public lecture on Friday on the sidelines of the SADC meeting that South Africa was "deeply concerned and ashamed that nationals from other countries have in recent months been subjected to discrimination and ill-treatment."

At least four migrants were killed in the protests, according to the South African police, though some foreign governments say the toll is higher.

South Africa has long been a draw for migrants but is currently facing an unemployment rate above 30%.

The country, which took over the rotating chairmanship of SADC at the summit, has called for an Africa-wide conference to address migration.