Image Source: Daily Maverick
Local – March and March founder Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma is calling on the government to declare a state of emergency on illegal immigration and deport all undocumented migrants from South Africa, warning that the 30th of June 2026 will see South Africans take to the streets if the president fails to address the crisis.
Ngobese-Zuma was speaking at a press conference on behalf of the movement, where she laid out a list of demands directed at the executive. She said foreign nationals had abused the country’s mercy and called on the government to account for the deteriorating state of the economy and public services.
“South Africans are not xenophobic, nor are they violent. They have been patient with the government for far too long. And foreign nationals have abused our mercy and kindness. And it ends now.”
The founder accused the government of failing to act against criminal networks she attributed to foreign nationals, while threatening to use state force against South Africans who protest. She cited the township economy and drug trade as specific areas of concern.
“Not once have we had government calling out Nigerians for selling drugs in South Africa and destroying the future of this country.”
Ngobese-Zuma said the strain on public services had become untenable and pointed to the social grants budget as evidence that the country was a welfare state with insufficient resources to absorb additional demand from foreign nationals.
Among her demands, she called on the government to immediately halt the processing of all refugee applications for 14 days, begin the mass deportation of illegal immigrants, declare illegal immigration a national state of emergency, increase the number of immigration officers, secure the country’s borders, and reserve the township economy exclusively for South African small businesses.
Government Responds
Despite many South Africans taking to the streets and criticism from activist groups, Justice and Constitutional Development Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi noted that South Africans are not a xenophobic people, while acknowledging the socio-economic concerns driving the protests.
The Minister was speaking during a media briefing of the Justice, Crime Prevention and Security Cluster in Pretoria, following engagement with security ministers, political parties, and groups involved in the nationwide anti-immigration protests.
The Minister acknowledged the right to protest while calling on march organisers to notify law enforcement in advance of planned action, warning that failure to do so would transfer liability from the state to organisers.
“We emphasised the importance of the marches being peaceful, because marches are protected. People’s right to march is protected by the Constitution, and freedom of speech is protected by the Constitution.”
Kubayi said the government was not dismissing the socio-economic concerns driving the protests, but drew a clear distinction between migrants in the country legally and those who were not.
She said South Africa remained part of a global society and that the presence of legal migrants had to be respected. Where illegal immigrants were found, she said law enforcement would act, and that criminal conduct would be treated the same regardless of nationality.
“Those who commit crimes are criminals, irrespective of whether they are South African or non-South African.”
The Minister said Deputy Ministers would be deployed nationwide to ensure on-the-ground visibility and to report on compliance with existing laws.
