The March and March movement says its nationwide anti-illegal immigration protests will proceed as planned on Tuesday, 30 June, despite heightened security measures, repeated warnings from the government and growing anxiety among migrant communities.
Organisers have maintained that demonstrations across South Africa will be peaceful and have urged supporters not to engage in violence, intimidation or the destruction of property. The movement has called for undocumented foreign nationals to be removed from South Africa through lawful government processes, insisting that its campaign is directed at illegal immigration rather than individuals who are legally in the country.
The protests are expected to take place in several provinces, including Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape, with law enforcement agencies preparing one of the country’s largest coordinated security operations in recent years.
The build-up to Tuesday has already seen demonstrations held in Soweto in Gauteng and Parklands in Cape Town over the weekend, with organisers describing them as peaceful mobilisation events ahead of the nationwide action.
Authorities have stressed that while South Africans have a constitutional right to protest, any criminal behaviour will be dealt with decisively.
Speaking during a police operational parade in Durban on Sunday, Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia said police were not being deployed to prevent lawful demonstrations but to ensure protests take place safely and in an orderly manner.
“Our role is to uphold the Constitution, enforce the law without fear, favour or prejudice, and ensure that public order is maintained,” Cachalia told officers.
He instructed police to act professionally, respect demonstrators’ rights and use restraint, while responding firmly to violence, vandalism, intimidation or any other criminal acts.
Police Commissioner Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi has also made it clear that the protests will be allowed to proceed, provided they remain within the law. He warned that police would act swiftly against anyone attempting to exploit the demonstrations to commit violence or other criminal offences.
The extensive policing operation follows the government’s announcement that approximately R600 million has been allocated for security deployments involving the South African Police Service, other law enforcement agencies and private security support ahead of the protests.
The allocation has sparked widespread public debate, with many South Africans questioning the expenditure at a time when unemployment remains stubbornly high, and government departments frequently cite budget constraints and insufficient funding for essential services.
Critics have argued that the money could have been directed towards job creation, healthcare, education or other pressing socio-economic needs, while the government has defended the deployment as necessary to protect lives, infrastructure, and businesses should unrest occur.
The security preparations have intensified across the country.
The Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) on Sunday confirmed it was aware of spontaneous community marches planned in Soweto on Monday, including a “March for Our Townships, For Our Future.”
Although no formal applications had been submitted under the Regulation of Gatherings Act, JMPD said officers would monitor the gatherings closely to ensure public safety, minimise traffic disruptions and prevent lawlessness.
Motorists have been warned to expect congestion around Zondi and routes leading to the Jabulani Amphitheatre.
JMPD reiterated that while it respects the constitutional right to freedom of expression, criminality, property damage and major disruptions to traffic would not be tolerated.
The government has repeatedly sought to reassure both South Africans and foreign nationals that Tuesday is not a national shutdown or public holiday.
The state has declared 30 June a normal working day and has encouraged businesses, schools and public institutions to continue operating as usual.
Inter-Ministerial Committee on Migration chairperson Mamoloko Kubayi said the government was ready to protect everyone living in South Africa, including citizens and foreign nationals, from abuse, intimidation or violence.
She warned that anyone responsible for violence during the demonstrations would face strict legal consequences.
Kubayi further stressed that blocking access to hospitals, clinics, schools, or any essential public service would be unlawful.
She also warned that the promotion of tribalism, hate speech or any form of intolerance would not be tolerated, saying violence directed at any individual would be met with the full force of the law.
Similar warnings have been issued by KwaZulu-Natal Premier Thami Ntuli, who said the province would not tolerate criminal acts during Tuesday’s demonstrations.
Ntuli said law enforcement agencies were fully prepared to maintain public order while protecting the constitutional rights of peaceful protesters.
The uncertainty surrounding Tuesday’s protests has already had visible consequences in parts of Johannesburg.
On Sunday, numerous foreign-owned businesses in the Johannesburg CBD closed their doors as shop owners removed stock and furniture amid fears of possible unrest.
Long queues also formed outside bus stations as some foreign nationals sought transport to neighbouring countries ahead of the demonstrations.
At the Malawian Consulate in Sandton, people continued arriving in large numbers seeking assistance to return home. Some, including pregnant women and children, reportedly spent the night outside the consulate while waiting for buses. Similar scenes have also been reported in Durban and Cape Town.
Meanwhile, the South African National Taxi Council (SANTACO) has called an urgent media briefing for Monday to clarify the taxi industry’s position on the planned protests and confirm whether public transport services will operate normally.
Despite the heightened security presence, uncertainty and political debate surrounding the protests, organisers insist Tuesday’s demonstrations will proceed as planned across South Africa.
They continue to encourage supporters to demonstrate peacefully, obey the law, cooperate with police and avoid any acts of violence or intimidation that could undermine their stated objectives.
With thousands of police officers expected to be deployed nationwide, authorities say the focus will remain on protecting constitutional rights while ensuring public safety and preventing any repeat of the widespread unrest South Africa has experienced in previous years.
