Government ramps up security as South Africa prepares for June 30 anti-illegal immigration protests

Security forces and government departments have increased preparations ahead of planned demonstrations on June 30, 2026, over illegal immigration, while officials urged calm and warned that the rule of law will be upheld.

What authorities say

Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia addressed a police parade before operational deployments, emphasising constitutional protection for everyone in the country.

“There will be no tolerance for vigilantism, no tolerance for xenophobic or any type of violence, no tolerance for intimidation, and no tolerance for anyone, no matter who they are, who thinks they can decide who may or may not live in our communities,”

Cachalia said. He said police deployments aimed to prevent violence through visible policing, intelligence-led operations, early intervention and action against those inciting violence or issuing threats online.

Where tensions have been flagged

Police and private security sources identified Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, the Western Cape and the Eastern Cape as potential flashpoints for the planned demonstrations. Government has repeatedly said June 30 is not a national shutdown and urged that normal business should continue.

Responses from organisers and civil society

Organisers including the group March and March have described the campaign as a demand for stricter immigration enforcement. Media reports quoted March and March leader Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma saying there would be no violence, killings or looting during the protests. The organisations reportedly said the campaign targeted illegal immigration rather than foreign nationals generally and that responsibility for public order rested with the government.

Civil society groups and labour federations expressed alarm and called for constitutionalism and protection of rights. The Siyafana Sonke Action Campaign, a coalition of more than 160 organisations, met government to raise concerns about escalating xenophobic violence, forced removals, displacement and intimidation. Labour federations including Fedusa, Saftu and Cosatu joined an online rally titled “Defend Democracy. Reject the Shutdown” to call for respect for the rule of law and practical solutions to unemployment, crime, corruption and service delivery failures.

Border management and repatriation figures

Government migration statements reported that 15,162 Malawian nationals had been processed for deportation and repatriation by close of business on June 25, with additional individuals undergoing verification at temporary repatriation centres. The statement said Malawi, Ghana, Nigeria, Mozambique and Zimbabwe had offered to facilitate voluntary repatriation of their nationals, and that Kenya and the Democratic Republic of Congo had submitted requests.

The Border Management Authority said conditions involving Malawian nationals in Sherwood, Che Guevara, Durban Drive-In and eMsunduzi in KwaZulu-Natal had become untenable because of large numbers and a resulting humanitarian emergency. To speed up verification and processing, government expanded the jurisdiction of the Musina Refugee Reception Office in Limpopo and established a temporary repatriation processing centre outside Musina.

The BMA, working with the SAPS, SANDF and other law enforcement agencies, reported heightened security at land, air and sea ports of entry, and said static checkpoints and roadblocks remained in place along major routes leading to critical ports, including Beitbridge.

Law enforcement action and co‑operation

Government reported that by June 21 authorities had opened 89 criminal cases linked to public order incidents and incitement, up from 53 the previous week. A total of 164 people had been arrested on charges including incitement to violence and contravening the Regulation of Gatherings Act. Acting Police Minister Cachalia met with private security representatives on June 24 to strengthen co-operation between public and private security structures, focusing on information-sharing, coordinated planning and pooling resources.

President Cyril Ramaphosa met business leaders on June 24, and Acting National Commissioner of Police Lieutenant-General Puleng Dimpane held discussions with SANTACO and private security industry leaders, according to an official statement.

Analysis and warnings

Political analyst Dr Ayabulela Dlakavu, a senior lecturer at the Wits School of Governance, said the climate reflected a broader international rise in anti-immigration politics and linked hostility towards migrants to economic insecurity and competition for scarce resources.

“At the heart of anti-immigration and migration is the scarcity of resources and economic opportunities. Realists in political thought have coined a phrase: ‘inhumanity is humanity under pressure’.”

Dlakavu also pointed to weaknesses in implementation of existing laws regulating work permits, study visas and travel.

Provincial concerns

In KwaZulu-Natal, Premier Thami Ntuli warned community safety structures not to allow a repeat of the July 2021 unrest, noting business and job losses from that period.

“If violence erupts and property is destroyed, it is us, our children, and our families who will suffer the consequences,”

he said.

What to expect on June 30

Organisers have said demonstrations will proceed on June 30. Government has stressed that private individuals and groups do not have the authority to demand documentation from members of the public or to block access to schools, clinics, hospitals or businesses.