Protesters took to the streets in a national day of action on June 30 to demand the removal of undocumented migrants from South Africa.
Kim Heller
June in South Africa is always bitterly cold. This winter carries a particularly ominous chill as anti-immigration groupings have issued an ultimatum: undocumented African nationals must leave the country by 30 June 2026, or face consequences.
The rage behind this deadline is fuelled by severely strained public services, fierce contestation for jobs, and persistent crime that has made daily life hazardous for millions of South Africans. Migrants have become easy scapegoats for an economic crisis that demands structural repair from the state.
The seemingly unstoppable gale of mass grievance now threatens serious economic and reputational damage to South Africa's standing in the region and on the continent.
