Protest in South Africa against illegal immigration

(30 Jun 2026)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:

ASSOCIATED PRESS
Johannesburg, South Africa – 30 June 2026
1. Various of crowd at protest
2. Wide of protesters and police vehicles during protest
3. Various of protesters marching
4. Wide of protester throwing traditional African protective medicine on other demonstrators
5. SOUNDBITE (isiZulu) Nompumelelo Dladla, Johannesburg Resident:
“I have children at home, I’m an aunt, my friends have children. I wish to see a bright future for them. As you can see it is being destroyed, we have a drug problem.”
6. Various of protesters gathering and chanting
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Ngizwe Mchunu, protest organizer:
“This country, it is a country where anyone can come into place. Now is the time for us to be serious about the illegal immigrants matter and making sure that our country is back on its feet again.”
8. Mid of protesters raising fists and chanting
9. Various of protestors holding sticks and flags
10. Wide of crowd marching
STORYLINE:
Thousands of demonstrators gathered in parts of South Africa to rally against illegal immigration on Tuesday in the biggest migration-related protests since anti-migrant violence broke out in the country in 2008.

The protests come after some groups set what they called a June 30 deadline for the departure of all migrants who are in the country illegally.

The demonstrators blame those migrants for causing unemployment among South Africans by accepting low wages, and for other problems including high crime.

South Africa’s government has rejected the deadline, saying only authorities can enforce immigration laws.

The most prominent groups opposing illegal immigration include March and March, Operation Dudula and Progressive Forces. President Cyril Ramaphosa met Monday night with leaders of some of the groups and asked them to conduct peaceful demonstrations.

Ngizwe Mchunu, one of the protest leaders, told The Associated Press that he blamed illegal migration for a proliferation of illicit drugs in South Africa.

He also complained about the high percentage of informal neighborhood shops run by immigrants from other African countries, saying they should all be owned by South Africans.

The South African police deployed hundreds of officers in cities including Johannesburg in Gauteng province and Durban in KwaZulu-Natal province to prepare for potential violence.

Previous marches against illegal immigration have resulted in attacks on migrants and vandalism of foreign-owned businesses.

In Johannesburg, some shops owned by foreign nationals were closed before the arrival of protesters on Tuesday.

In some parts of the country, private security firms were protecting businesses.

Protesters marching through Johannesburg’s city center Tuesday included many carrying traditional fighting sticks and women of all ages.

Some wore the South African flag and sang liberation songs.

“I have children at home, I’m an aunt, my friends have children. I wish to see a bright future for them. As you can see is being destroyed, we have a drug problem,” said Nompumelelo Dladla, a Johannesburg resident.

Demonstrators also gathered Tuesday in parts of Durban with reports of more protesters in parts of the North West and Free State provinces.

Thousands of migrants, primarily from neighboring Zimbabwe and Malawi, gathered at their embassies and consulates to request transport back to their countries.

There has been increased traffic over the past few days at the Beitbridge checkpoint along the Zimbabwe border as buses carrying migrants left South Africa.

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33 thoughts on “Protest in South Africa against illegal immigration”

South African are Animals😢

AP, we have technology now that enables you to translate

Wait until reality hits you folks. I agree there should be control of illegal immigration but where you target those that are legal then things starts getting worse because you then stop any one from outside thinking of investing in South Africa ,then who looses?

Loosers they can't even work and they complaining about their hard African brothers and sister

The South African corporation by White ppl who owns most of South African resources is your enemy not poor African refugee who clean your day to day life issues! Grow up you should be Mandela 's children these African countries fought with mandala to get your human freedom, now get your finical freedom from these evil corporations! Don't abuse your African brothers and sisters for temporary stays! Shame!

Waiting on the UK media blaming Nigel Farage somehow…

Meanwhile, Europeans are still there. Go figure

Inspiring

There's something not right with this story. They are leaving something out. What white hands are really behind this?😊

ok you ungreatfull people you will need help again where was your power before you guys get free

Meanwhile in the left-wing in the USA are marching for more illegal to enter the country…the USA left-wing always doing the opposite

South Africa (Current Stats. You do the Math)

Population – 63 million.

Whites – 4.5 million – 7.3% – own 72% of the Land.

Blacks – 51.5 million – 81.4% – own 4% of the Land.

Indians/Asians – 1.6 million – 2.7% – own 5% of the Land.

Crime

Prisoners – 166,000 incarcerated.

Foreigners – 25,000 – 15% of prisoners.

Locals – 141,000 – 85% of the prisoners.

Homicides – 20,000 per year.

60 murders and 120 rapes per day.

Africans living in other African Countries – 25 million.

African immigrants in South Africa – 2.5 million – 10% of African immigrants.

Cote d’Ivoire hosts 2.6 million African immigrants

Uganda hosts 2 million refugees and asylum seekers mainly from South Sudan and DRC

Nigeria hosts 1.3 million immigrants

Ethiopia hosts 1.1 million immigrants

South Africa’s Xenophobic Attacks occurred in – 2008, 2015, 2019, 2021, 2024 and 2026. Over 60 people murdered.

South Africans living abroad – 1 million.

The top destination countries for the South African diaspora include:

• United Kingdom: ~245,000+ residents

• Australia: ~200,000–213,000 residents

• United States: ~133,000–161,000 residents

• New Zealand: ~71,000–100,000 residents

• United Arab Emirates: ~100,000 residents

• Canada: ~51,000–52,000 residents

• Netherlands: ~31,000–41,000 residents

You guys don’t have a skill, you don’t work on Mondays yet you claim immigrants (documented or undocumented) are your problem. Look you guys should put some shirt on and travel . Civilization is far from you guys

If there is one thing South Africans know how to do is to organize a march. Americans may find it surprising at the amount of people who turned up. Mayibuye!!!!✊🏾✊🏼✊️

Blaming on the immigration not those in control like Nazis and America right wing.

There are still 1000s of illegal immigrants here still in Durban

Afrophobia

The AP does in FACT know the term "illegal migrant", just not in American reporting, huh?
No wonder they're going broke!

Do you know where Nilson Mandela found refuge and received military training before helping to free your country from white minority rule ?
Today, how ever, many of you seem to have forgotten that histroy . Ethipans are being driven out , attacked , and their property is being looted . Is this the right thing to do ?
Isn't this like biting the hand that once helped feed you ?

If they were white trump would be so happy there

Look at these, Niggas in the hood up to no good idiots .All what they know are to eat, sleep, and shit. Morons , viles monkeys . Nincompoops.😅

South Africans shame on you. You disgraced yourselves among African countries. You should reap the fruits of your foolishness soon.

finally a country trying to keep blacks out

Great move by the South Africans😂😂😂😂

Criminals. This is not a match against illegal immigrants, it is a fight against black people from other African countries, wether legal or illegal. Other people of different colours different from dark skins are not disturbed. An!mals from prehistoric caves.

These people have nothing else to do. Unemployable, lazy people and uneducated.

The effects of slavery on south africans are immense, As the last country to be delivered from their slave masters whip they have not yet recover the ability to reason that they are all africans in the view of the globe in which they are a small part ,just as in was in the yours of colonialism in the caribbean and americas divide and rule was the tool use to disengage africans by greeting in some a perception of better than among them ,that which we have overcome within 100 years is beyond south africans who have only just been freed but without a clue of what it cost their supporters their fellow africans in the caribbean and the americas and around the world it will take a lot for them to begin to realy love their selfs