New displaced foreign nationals carry goods on their heads as they take refuge at the old Durban Drive Inn in Durban, on June 22, 2026. Photo: RAJESH JANTILAL / AFP
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa vowed on Thursday to crush any attempts to destabilise the nation during planned anti-immigrant marches next week, amid a wave of xenophobia.
Citizen-led groups have set Tuesday, 30, as a deadline for undocumented foreigners to leave and called for nationwide marches against illegal immigration, marking a crescendo in months of protests that have at times turned violent.
The unofficial ultimatum has stoked fears of a resurgence of xenophobic violence that has claimed several lives in the past.
“We will not tolerate any attempts to destabilise the country by anyone, whether marching or otherwise,” said Ramaphosa.
