Hundreds of protesters marched through Durban, South Africa, on Wednesday, September 30, demanding tougher government action against illegal immigration and the deportation of undocumented foreign nationals.
The demonstration was organised by March and March, an anti-immigration group that had previously set September 30 as a deadline for undocumented migrants to leave the country. The deadline was not recognised or authorised by the South African government.
The protesters accused the government of failing to adequately address what they described as pressure on public resources, unemployment, crime and border security. Some participants carried traditional Zulu weapons and sang cultural songs while marching through parts of Durban.
Despite the strong demands from protesters, police did not report violence against foreigners during Wednesday’s demonstration. The protest followed months of tension surrounding migration and repeated concerns about attacks against foreign nationals in different parts of the country.
South African authorities have, in recent months, deported thousands of foreigners found to be in the country illegally. Government officials have also stressed that immigration enforcement must be carried out by the authorities and not by private groups.
The latest protest has raised concerns among migrant and refugee communities, particularly because an earlier June 30 deadline announced by the same movement was followed by attacks against some immigrants and the repatriation of foreign nationals to their home countries.
The situation has also affected South Africa’s diplomatic relations with other African countries. Nigeria, for example, suspended official visits and engagements with South Africa earlier this month following tensions over violence against Nigerians and other foreign nationals.
Nigerian authorities said Tuesday that three Nigerian citizens were killed in separate incidents in South Africa between September 18 and 21. The deaths brought the number of Nigerians reported killed in South Africa in 2026 to 12, according to Nigerian officials.
The South African government has maintained that it is enforcing immigration laws while warning against citizens taking the law into their own hands. The September 30 deadline set by the protest group has no legal authority to deport people from the country.
The protests come as immigration is becoming an increasingly prominent issue ahead of South Africa’s local government elections scheduled for November 4. Migrant communities and rights advocates have expressed concerns that heightened anti-immigrant rhetoric could increase tensions and expose foreigners to further attacks.
For the South African government, the challenge remains balancing immigration enforcement and border management with the protection of foreign nationals and the prevention of violence.
