Police are ramping up security measures ahead of a planned nationwide march against illegal immigration on June 30, as organisers vow to continue taking to the streets until the government tightens border controls and enforces immigration laws, while President Cyril Ramaphosa and Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi urge South Africans to reject violence and allow the law to take its course.
The growing campaign, led by March and March founder Jacinta Ngebose-Zuma, has gained momentum amid rising frustration over illegal immigration, unemployment, and economic hardship, prompting authorities to intensify operational planning and daily monitoring across the country.
Following a high-level operational readiness briefing in Pretoria, Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia said SAPS was prepared to ensure that demonstrations take place peacefully and within the confines of the law.
"While the constitutional right to peaceful protest will be respected, no acts of lawlessness, violence, intimidation or criminality will be tolerated. Weekly enforcement operations remain ongoing to verify the legal status of foreign nationals in the country. These operations are aimed at ensuring that all foreign nationals residing in South Africa are in the country legally and are in possession of valid documentation. Where violations of the law are identified, appropriate action will be taken in accordance with the law."
