Key moments from South Africa's protests against illegal immigration.
South Africa's nationwide illegal immigration protests concluded on Tuesday, 30 June, under a heavy security presence, with authorities reporting that demonstrations across much of the country remained largely peaceful despite weeks of mounting tensions, and the displacement of thousands of foreign nationals.
The marches, organised by groups including March and March, alongside other anti-illegal immigration organisations, followed months of demonstrations demanding tougher action against undocumented migrants. Protest organisers argued that illegal immigration has contributed to rising unemployment, crime, and pressure on public services, and had set 30 June as a symbolic deadline for undocumented immigrants to leave the country.
The government repeatedly stressed that the deadline had no legal standing and that only the state has the authority to enforce immigration laws.
Ahead of the demonstrations, the South African Police Service (SAPS), supported by the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) in identified hotspots, deployed thousands of officers nationwide to prevent a repeat of previous outbreaks of xenophobic violence.
