Cape Town, Western Cape — Anti-illegal immigration movements Operation Dudula and the March and March Movement have mobilized nationwide protests, culminating in a National Labour and Employment march in Johannesburg and coordinated demonstrations in Cape Town. The actions serve as a critical build-up to the groups’ unofficial June 30 deadline, which demands that all undocumented migrants leave South Africa.
In Johannesburg, Operation Dudula convened at Mary Fitzgerald Square in Newtown for a major march directed toward Mayfair. The suburb has recently experienced heightened tensions, business disruptions, and reports of unrest, making it a focal point for the movement’s demands. The organizers have framed the march as a fight for national labor and employment, arguing that foreign nationals are unlawfully occupying jobs meant for citizens and operating foreign-owned spaza shops in townships.
Security around the Johannesburg march was heavily fortified, reflecting the R600 million recently redirected by the Minister of Police to ensure public safety. A robust presence of both state police and private security was deployed to maintain order and oversee the parade. Meanwhile, the taxi industry, represented by SANTACO, met with the acting police commissioner to establish ground rules for the upcoming deadline. SANTACO leadership confirmed that public transport would operate as usual and warned against road closures or disruptions to non-participants, while simultaneously urging the government to take decisive responsibility for resolving the migration crisis.
The South African government has acknowledged illegal immigration as a pressing concern but maintains a strict stance against vigilantism. The President has affirmed that only law enforcement and immigration officers possess the legal authority to demand identification or proof of nationality. To address the root causes, the state is deploying advanced technology to secure borders and eradicate corruption, alongside increasing the deployment of labor inspectors to penalize employers hiring undocumented foreigners. Repatriation efforts are also underway through immigration courts and the Lindela repatriation center.
These state actions follow a landmark 2025 High Court ruling that declared the actions of anti-migration groups unlawful and unconstitutional. The court explicitly prohibited organizations from intimidating individuals, blocking foreign nationals from accessing healthcare and education, or conducting citizen-led ID checks, setting a strict legal precedent on how far anti-immigration campaigns can go.
Simultaneously, the March and March Movement staged a vocal protest in Parklands, Cape Town, gathering at Echium Park. The demonstrators mapped out a lengthy route along Parklands Main Road, turning onto Ghee Road and Sandown Wood Drive.
Speaking on the ground, a movement spokesperson identified as Pink Doll articulated the protesters’ grievances. She demanded an end to illegal immigration, the closure of foreign-owned spaza shops, and a crackdown on narcotics.
“Parklands is a big hub office for these foreigners. We want this crime to end. Our children are suffering from these drugs,” Pink Doll stated, calling for strict government accountability. While she welcomed the national repatriation efforts initiated since the movement’s inception, she noted that the Western Cape has lacked visible enforcement and urged more localized action.
Law enforcement officers engaged with the march convenors in Cape Town to enforce peaceful protest guidelines. When questioned about a protester carrying a shambok, Pink Doll defended it as a traditional cultural expression of native South Africans rather than a weapon, reiterating that the march would remain strictly peaceful. Other attendees, including a supporter who traveled from Retreat, cited personal legal disputes with migrant individuals as their motivation for joining the movement.
Despite the highly emotive nature of the protests and mixed public reactions—ranging from concerns over strained national resources to accusations of xenophobia—leadership from the March and March Movement has publicly pledged that the June 30 actions will be entirely peaceful. They continue to call on citizens to refrain from violence or unlawful interruptions, maintaining that their pressure will only cease once the government enforces strict border controls and addresses their employment demands.
