A nationwide wave of anti-illegal immigration protests across South Africa has evolved into a long-term campaign, with activist group March and March announcing plans to stage demonstrations every Thursday for the next six months while urging the government to strengthen border security and address undocumented migration.
Speaking to thousands of supporters in Durban on Tuesday, movement leader Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma said the organisation would continue taking to the streets until authorities responded with concrete action.
“We will keep marching every Thursday for the next six months until government acts,” she said, describing the campaign as a sustained effort to push immigration issues higher on the national agenda.
The group’s demands include a larger budget for the Border Management Authority (BMA), additional frontline personnel and stronger border infrastructure. According to Ngobese-Zuma, South Africa requires around 10,000 border officials to secure its frontiers more effectively and curb illegal crossings.
Although demonstrations began peacefully in many cities, several protests later escalated into violence, prompting increased police deployments and military assistance in some areas.
Government urged to strengthen border security
March and March argues that inadequate resources at South Africa’s borders have contributed to growing concerns over undocumented migration. The movement is calling for expanded staffing levels, improved border fencing and stronger enforcement measures.
Immigration has become an increasingly contentious issue in South Africa in recent years, with public debate focusing on border management, pressure on public services and crime, while government has repeatedly stated that immigration enforcement must remain within the rule of law.
As the demonstrations unfolded, activist organisation Siyafana Sonke Campaign reported that some gatherings had become increasingly volatile during the afternoon.
According to the organisation, protesters spread across several Johannesburg suburbs, stretching police resources and leading to isolated incidents of intimidation, vandalism and property damage.
Violence reported in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal
The most serious unrest was reported in Johannesburg’s inner city, including Hillbrow, Yeoville and Berea. Activists reported incidents involving broken windows, threats against residents and attempts to enter buildings believed to house foreign nationals.
Vehicles were reportedly set alight, while shops and private property were damaged in several locations.
Additional incidents were reported in Alexandra, Germiston, Daveyton, Tembisa, Cosmo City and Mamelodi, where protesters allegedly demanded identification documents from migrants, forced some foreign-owned informal businesses to close and targeted businesses owned by Somali nationals.
As tensions escalated, the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) was deployed to Kliptown to assist police with crowd control and stabilisation efforts.
KwaZulu-Natal also experienced large demonstrations in Durban and Pietermaritzburg. Police maintained a heavy presence near refugee facilities and responded to reports of intimidation involving foreign nationals. Authorities later confirmed arrests linked to alleged looting of foreign-owned businesses.
Tuesday’s demonstrations marked one of the largest coordinated anti-illegal immigration protests seen in South Africa this year. While organisers insist their campaign will remain focused on pressuring government to tighten border controls, authorities continue to emphasise that any enforcement action must be conducted through lawful processes and that violence and intimidation will not be tolerated.
Source: The Citizen