An aerial drone photo taken on June 30, 2026 shows protesters marching during a massive demonstration against illegal immigration in Johannesburg, South Africa. [Photo/Xinhua]
JOHANNESBURG - South African authorities deployed thousands of police officers on Tuesday as demonstrations against illegal immigration were held across the country under heightened security.
Demonstrations were reported in several major cities, including Johannesburg, Pretoria, Cape Town and Durban. According to local media, more than 10,000 protesters were expected to gather at Church Square in Pretoria, the country's administrative capital. Earlier, the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department said three protest marches in Johannesburg had been approved, with attendance also expected to exceed 10,000.
The Police Ministry said that while most demonstrations remained peaceful, police responded to isolated incidents of criminality. It warned that anyone attempting to exploit the protests to commit crimes would face decisive law enforcement action.
Ahead of the demonstrations, Gauteng Provincial Police Commissioner Tommy Mthombeni said about 13,000 South African Police Service officers, more than 10,000 metro police officers, around 8,000 traffic wardens and over 217,000 private security personnel were mobilized to monitor the demonstrations and maintain public order.
