A large group of protesters took on the streets across Zwelihle township and headed to the municipality building in Hermanus, where they handed memorandum of their grievances.
The long-awaited June 30 deadline set by groups calling for action against undocumented migrants culminated in protests across several parts of the Western Cape on Monday, with demonstrators vowing to intensify their campaign despite receiving what they described as an unsatisfactory response from the provincial government.
Protests took place in Cape Town, Hermanus, Kraaifontein, and Delft, where community members gathered under the banners of groups including March and March, Operation Dudula, and the Labour and Civic Organisation (LACO).
Although Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis said earlier in the morning that the city had not received a formal application for a march, a demonstration later proceeded through the Cape Town CBD. The crowd, which started with relatively small numbers, grew as supporters from different groups joined the march.
The demonstrators argued that undocumented migrants contribute to unemployment, crime, and social challenges, including gender-based violence and drug abuse - claims that remain widely contested and are not supported by a single body of evidence.
