MARCH and March supporters converged in the streets of Durban on June 30 as part of their campaign demanding the repatriation of undocumented foreigners from the country. Illegal immigration is one component of a much larger structural contradiction confronting our political economy, says the writer.
Zamikhaya Maseti
The much-anticipated 30 June 2026 has now come and gone. For weeks, the nation lived under the shadow of uncertainty.
There were predictions of a national shutdown, fears of widespread violence, speculation of economic paralysis, and warnings that South Africa would once again relive the traumatic memories of July 2021. Markets became anxious, businesses activated contingency, and ordinary citizens wondered whether the democratic State retained sufficient capacity to preserve public order.
Across much of the country, thousands exercised their constitutional right to assemble and protest. The overwhelming majority of demonstrators marched peacefully. There were, however, isolated but deeply regrettable incidents of looting, intimidation, and attacks against foreign nationals in some localities.
