South Africa tightens security, urges calm as June 30 anti-immigration protests approach

By Xinhua

SOUTH African authorities have tightened security measures and intensified public warnings ahead of planned anti-immigration demonstrations scheduled for June 30, amid growing tensions over undocumented migration and concerns about potential unrest.

The March and March movement and several anti-immigration groups on Wednesday reiterated their demand that undocumented foreign nationals leave South Africa by the end of June, warning of a possible nationwide shutdown if their calls are not met.

The campaign has prompted concern among government officials, who warn that such actions could fuel instability and social tensions in several provinces. In response, law enforcement agencies have placed security forces on high alert and reiterated appeals for calm.

The South African Police Service (SAPS) on Wednesday said it had identified potential hotspots linked to the planned protests and would deploy specialized units to maintain order, particularly in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal, but without disclosing the exact locations.

Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia said law enforcement agencies were fully prepared for possible unrest, stressing that any unlawful conduct, intimidation, or violence would be met with a firm response.

Cachalia and Puleng Dimpane, acting national commissioner of SAPS, also met representatives of the private security industry to coordinate security arrangements, given the “heightened level of public concern and anxiety” about the scheduled demonstrations.

At the center of the tension is a demand by anti-immigration groups that undocumented migrants leave the country by June 30, a deadline the government has rejected as unlawful and unenforceable.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, in a national address on June 15, condemned vigilantism and warned against violence, saying immigration enforcement remains the responsibility of the state under the country’s constitutional democracy.

When addressing the official National Youth Day commemoration on the following day, he said: “The so-called June 30, in my view, is not an event that is even necessary because we are addressing the challenges that our people are facing.”

“We must not allow South Africans to be duped and to be misled by those who want to foster instability in our country and we will not allow that,” the president added.

The Department of Home Affairs has likewise dismissed a widely circulated notice that purported to give undocumented migrants until June 30 to leave the country, describing it as fake and urging the public not to spread misinformation.

Following a Cabinet briefing earlier this month, Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni reiterated that all government action must remain within legal frameworks, warning that intimidation, destruction of property, or violence would not be tolerated.

At the provincial level, Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi on Monday appealed for calm, warning that authorities will act decisively against any criminal activity linked to the planned protests.

Business and labor organizations have also expressed concern about the possible consequences of unrest.

Business Unity South Africa warned over the weekend that instability could damage investor confidence and slow economic recovery, urging dialogue and restraint. Major labor federations, including COSATU, FEDUSA, SAFTU, and NACTU, have distanced themselves from the planned mobilization and urged workers not to participate in anti-migrant actions.

As June 30 approaches, the government has repeatedly stressed that immigration enforcement is a state function that must be carried out strictly within the law, warning that attempts to impose unofficial deadlines or conduct vigilante-style operations could further inflame tensions.

The recent tensions linked to anti-immigrant sentiment flared across the country and have revived memories of previous outbreaks of xenophobic violence in South Africa, which analysts have often linked to high unemployment, persistent inequality, and competition for economic opportunities in low-income communities.

The deadliest wave of anti-foreigner violence occurred in May 2008, when attacks across Gauteng and other provinces left at least 62 people dead and displaced more than 100,000 others.

Further outbreaks were recorded in 2015 in cities including Durban and Johannesburg, while renewed violence in 2019 targeted foreign-owned businesses and migrant communities, triggering diplomatic tensions in parts of Africa and retaliatory incidents in several countries.

Although large-scale incidents have become less frequent in recent years, sporadic flare-ups continue to occur in parts of Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal, particularly during periods of economic hardship, often affecting migrant communities and foreign-owned small businesses.

According to local media, some 40,000 illegal foreign nationals have been arrested since the beginning of the year, while thousands of citizens from Malawi, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Ghana, and Nigeria have been repatriated.