Anti-Immigration Marches Escalate in South Africa with Bellville Rally

Supporters of the March and March movement rallied in Cape Town’s Bellville on Saturday, starting at Du Toit Park and heading to Parow police station, while calling for stricter border controls and deportations by June 30. The protests, part of a wave since April in cities like Durban and Johannesburg, highlight tensions over 43% unemployment and strained services, though leaders like Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma emphasize targeting criminality, not legal migrants.

ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula condemned vigilantism, urging the rule of law, as human rights groups warn of violence and plan stakeholder talks on May 25.

[WATCH] March and March leader, Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma, says there can’t be calls for African unity while SA is the only country absorbing migrants. She says the movement doesn’t have a problem with foreign nationals, but it’s against their criminal activities. pic.twitter.com/7hgL9jIMpt

— Newzroom Afrika (@Newzroom405) May 23, 2026

WATCH | ANC SG Fikile Mbalula says when it comes to immigration and undocumented foreigners, the rule of law must dictate what must happen. He adds that people cannot take the law into their own hands and “render us a banana republic”, stressing that the state must intervene. pic.twitter.com/EhbPvjkheT

— SABC News (@SABCNews) May 23, 2026