The anti-illegal-immigration group March and March says it will proceed with its planned national shutdown on 30 June.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The announcement comes following an urgent meeting held at the Union Buildings in Pretoria this week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The meeting involved ministers from the Justice, Crime Prevention, and Security Cluster to address the escalating protests against illegal immigration across the nation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
March and March has been protesting against illegal immigrants since its formation in early 2025, but tensions have since escalated, with heated clashes in recent weeks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The civic movement is calling for the immediate and mass deportation of illegal immigrants currently living in South Africa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Security cluster ministers and high-ranking officials responsible for national security participated in discussions in Tshwane on Monday to quell the situation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Additionally, ministers met with political parties, groups, and associations involved in the mass protests and community marches against undocumented foreign nationals. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Despite the engagements, March and March has opted to move ahead with a national shutdown on 30 June.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Defence Minister Angie Motshekga said that the right to strike is secured in the Constitution, but warned the protesting groups that “the right goes with certain responsibilities”.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“As much as South Africans have the right to strike, and their anger and their frustration are highly understood, we support them in that it is a free and safe march,” she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“All we are asking them is to do so within the framework of the law,” said Motshekga.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Motshekga said that the protests are protected by law, “on the 30th or even the 15th or any other day”, but urged that strikers “treat people with respect despite [their] anger”.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The protesting groups have positioned themselves as being against illegal immigrants only, saying that it is not about xenophobia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
They have laid the blame for several social ills, including high levels of crime and unemployment, at the feet of illegal immigrants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The protests are now centred on getting undocumented foreigners to leave the country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Protesters are demanding an increase in the number of immigration officers to enhance the enforcement of the country’s immigration laws.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
March and March has also submitted a series of demands to the authorities, which include stricter border controls and the mass deportation of undocumented foreign nationals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“If they [authorities] can force them to pay for their way back home, it will ensure that they don’t keep coming back,” said the leader of the movement, Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Foreign nationals, in turn, have accused members of March and March of intimidation and forcibly removing individuals from their homes.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n