The organisers of the March and March anti-illegal immigration campaign have vowed to intensify their demonstrations, announcing plans to stage nationwide protests every Thursday until what they describe as illegal immigrants have left South Africa or been removed through official processes.
Speaking to supporters during the movement’s 30 June protest in Durban, March and March leader Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma said the campaign was entering a new phase following the expiry of the group’s self-imposed deadline for undocumented foreign nationals to leave the country.
Ngobese-Zuma said the government had deployed significant resources in response to the demonstrations, alleging that around R600 million had been allocated to monitor the protests and deploy law enforcement officers to maintain order and protect both demonstrators and foreign nationals.
“They have spent R600 million today. They will have to spend R600 million every Thursday because we are going to march every Thursday until all illegal immigrants have left South Africa,” Ngobese-Zuma told supporters.
She said the weekly demonstrations would be held across the country over the coming months, adding that the movement would not suspend its campaign until its demands regarding illegal immigration were addressed.
The 30 June march had been promoted by the organisation as a deadline for undocumented immigrants to leave South Africa voluntarily. However, despite the expiry of that date, there has been no indication from government that such a deadline carries any legal standing.
The movement argues that stronger action is needed to curb illegal immigration, while critics have warned that such protests risk inflaming tensions and have called for immigration laws to be enforced through lawful processes that protect the rights of all people.
The 30 June protests proceeded in several areas under a heavy police presence, with organisers describing the turnout as the beginning of a sustained national campaign rather than a one-day event.
While the demonstrations attracted supporters and significant public attention, there is no verified evidence that the protests resulted in the mass departure of undocumented immigrants, nor has the government confirmed Ngobese-Zuma’s claim that R600 million was spent on security arrangements. Going forward, the announcement of weekly Thursday protests suggests the campaign is likely to remain a visible and potentially contentious issue in South Africa’s ongoing debate over immigration and border enforcement.
