The so-called anti-illegal immigration group March and March says it will move ahead with its planned nationwide shutdown on 30 June, urging undocumented foreign nationals to leave South Africa despite government appeals for calm following high-level security talks.
The warning comes after an urgent meeting held at the Union Buildings in Pretoria on Monday, where ministers in the Justice, Crime Prevention and Security Cluster discussed growing protests linked to undocumented migration.
The meeting focused on increasing demonstrations against immigration and undocumented foreign nationals taking place across the country. Senior officials and ministers responsible for national security attended the discussions in Tshwane, while political parties, organisations and protest groups involved in anti-immigration marches were also invited for engagements.
Government Responds To June 30 Shutdown Calls
Speaking on the sidelines of the meeting, March and March member Sanele Dube said the movement was unhappy with comments made by Defence Minister Angie Motshekga regarding the planned shutdown.
“We are concerned by the Minister of Defence’s remarks that the 30 June date we have given for illegal foreign nationals to vacate the country is being treated as just another shutdown,” Dube said.
“For us, it seems the government does not take South Africans seriously. South Africans are saying they have had enough of illegal foreign nationals and want them removed from the country.”
Dube dismissed accusations that the campaign was xenophobic or ethnically motivated. “We want to make it very clear that our call is not xenophobic. It is a call centred on the national security of the country, and we want to protect South Africa and South Africans,” he said.
He also said support for the movement was spreading beyond KwaZulu-Natal.
“Jacinta (Ngobese-Zuma – the leader of the movement) was in Cape Town recently, where residents are also raising concerns about illegal foreign nationals. In Rustenburg, there will be a March and March gathering, and plans are underway in Limpopo. This is not a Zulu issue. It is a South African issue.”
Angie Motshekga Says Protests Must Remain Peaceful
Addressing the media on the matter, Motshekga said South Africans had the constitutional right to protest. “The 30th of June is within their rights. There is nothing to panic about,” she said.
However, she warned that demonstrations must remain lawful and peaceful. “We have seen incidents during some marches that cannot be overlooked,” Motshekga said.
“While South Africans have the right to protest and their anger and frustration are understood, the government is also hard at work.”
She said the Department of Home Affairs continued with inspections and operations targeting undocumented migration. “It is not as though there is already a crisis because of the threat of 30 June,” she said.
“On 1 July, the sun will still rise in the east and set in the west.”
Motshekga also appealed for protesters to respect the dignity of foreign nationals. “I was terrified when I saw a South African pepper-spraying a foreign immigrant,” she said.
“At the end of the day, they are human beings. We have a duty to protect everybody’s dignity. The minister added that migration remained a global challenge that South Africa had to manage responsibly.
“It has created serious challenges for us as a country and for the state, but it is also a global trend that we must manage both as a continent and as a country,” she said.
Justice Minister Defends Government Immigration Operations
Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development Mmamoloko Kubayi rejected suggestions that the government had failed to act against undocumented migration.
“We have not been lukewarm,” Kubayi said.
“Joint operations have been taking place week in and week out, and we have statistics to show for it.”
Kubayi reiterated that protest groups had every right to demonstrate but urged organisers to work closely with authorities.
“We have appealed to them to notify us about marches – how many people they expect and where they are going – so law enforcement can prepare adequately,” she said.
“When they do not notify us, it becomes difficult to plan.”
[ANC Calls For Anti-Illegal Immigration Protesters To Act Within The Law]
Anti-migrant sentiment has increasingly become part of South Africa’s political debate in recent years, with some organisations arguing that undocumented foreign nationals are contributing to unemployment and pressure on public services.
Several protests linked to immigration issues have previously turned violent. Groups including March and March, Operation Dudula, ActionSA, the Inkatha Freedom Party and the MK Party have backed calls for stricter immigration controls.
The organisations are calling for tighter visa regulations, changes to asylum policies, action against businesses employing undocumented migrants, accountability for corrupt police officers and limits on access to public services for undocumented migrants.
