Omanghana
Hundreds of demonstrators marched through Durban on Wednesday, September 30, demanding tougher immigration enforcement and promising further protests against what they described as government inaction.
The demonstration coincided with an unofficial deadline set by the March and March movement for undocumented migrants to leave South Africa. The government and authorities did not recognise the ultimatum.
Some participants carried traditional Zulu weapons and sang cultural songs as they moved through the city. Police reported no incidents of violence against foreign nationals during the march.
Movement leader Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma said protesters wanted stronger border controls and increased deportations. She linked their demands to concerns about unemployment and pressure on public services.
“The message we are sending today is that people are getting really, really fed up,” she said.
Organizers also said the demonstration sought to express anger over gender-based violence and femicide, following the killings of at least 11 women in Ekurhuleni, east of Johannesburg.
The Durban march formed part of demonstrations held across several provinces amid months of anti-immigration campaigning. Earlier unrest has included attacks on foreign nationals, with deaths reported, although the toll remains disputed between South African and foreign authorities.
More than 200,000 people have fled South Africa. The estimate draws on figures released by African governments that have repatriated their citizens.
Previous attacks and evacuation operations have strained relations between South Africa and other African countries, placing the latest protests within a wider regional dispute over migration and the protection of foreign nationals.
Source: Omanghana
