Hundreds of people took to the streets of Durban on Wednesday in a protest march calling for undocumented migrants to leave South Africa, with the demonstration taking place on September 30, the date set by anti-migrant group March and March as a deadline for undocumented foreigners to leave the country. The protest comes amid heightened tensions between the movement and migrant communities in Durban.
The September 30 date had been announced by March and March in August, following months of demonstrations against undocumented immigration. The group had warned that it would organise larger protests if undocumented migrants did not leave, with its leaders previously predicting a significant turnout for the latest mobilisation.
The movement’s campaign gained national attention after an earlier June 30 deadline, when thousands of people marched in cities across South Africa demanding that undocumented foreign nationals leave. The June protests were accompanied by violence in some areas and prompted fears among migrant communities, with some foreign nationals leaving their homes or seeking assistance.
In Durban, tensions have been particularly high. Refugees and migrants who had been living in makeshift conditions have expressed fears about their safety ahead of the September 30 demonstrations. Some migrants were moved to the Lindela Repatriation Centre after spending months on the streets, while others remained in Durban.
March and March has linked its campaign to concerns over undocumented immigration, crime and pressure on communities and public services. However, the organisation said the September 30 mobilisation would also focus on gender-based violence and femicide, calling on men to participate in demonstrations against violence against women.
The protests have also drawn criticism from peace activists and others who dispute the movement’s portrayal of migrants as responsible for South Africa’s wider social problems. Peace activist Ela Gandhi, speaking ahead of the September 30 action, said claims blaming migrants for problems such as violence were untrue.
The September 30 demonstrations have once again placed South Africa’s contentious immigration debate in the spotlight, with protesters demanding tougher action against undocumented migration while migrant and refugee communities remain concerned about their safety. Authorities are under pressure to allow peaceful protest while preventing intimidation, violence and attacks against foreign nationals as the demonstrations unfold
