JOHANNESBURG — South Africans protested against undocumented migration in Johannesburg on April 29, 2026. The anti-immigrant organization March and March led the demonstrations, demanding that all undocumented immigrants leave the country by June 30, 2026.

Mobs of anti-immigrant protesters have marched through South African streets chanting "Mabahambe," a Zulu phrase meaning "They must go." Some protesters claimed to perform arrests and stated they have the right to check immigration papers. Foreign-owned businesses have also been attacked.

Several migrants have been killed in South Africa, including a Malawian and multiple Mozambicans in 2026. Many migrants have been driven from their homes. Thousands of Malawians who fled their homes to escape violence have camped in Durban, while hundreds of Zimbabweans camped outside their consulate in Cape Town. Displaced migrants also queued at a deportation site in Durban on June 17, 2026, and Malawian migrants sat on a driveway ahead of their deportation at a temporary center in Durban on June 19, 2026.

Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma, the leader of March and March and a former radio presenter, stated, "South Africa will be great again. It just needs all of us to rise and defeat our enemy." March and March has not specified what actions it plans after the June 30 deadline. Victor Sithole, a 55-year-old upholsterer from Zimbabwe with a resident's permit in South Africa, described the situation. "We're all scared. I've got quite a lot of friends who've been affected. Their homes have been destroyed, their businesses, so we don't know what tomorrow brings to us," Sithole said. He added, "Remember that when there's war, they don't choose who are you. War is war, so you have to just be careful no matter what. They're not talking about papers, they're talking about the foreign people … they say go back to your country."

President Cyril Ramaphosa has promised to strengthen borders, crack down on undocumented immigrants and those employing them, and address economic challenges. Ramaphosa stated, "We recognize that many communities are frustrated by crime, unemployment and pressure on public services. …The roots of these challenges lie primarily in inequality, slow economic growth and weaknesses in service delivery." He also said, "Addressing these challenges requires practical solutions, not the scapegoating of vulnerable people."

Nigeria, Ghana, and Mozambique have repatriated citizens who wanted to leave South Africa. South Africa's official unemployment rate is over 30%, with youth unemployment exceeding 60%.

Why It Matters

The protests led by March and March, culminating in a June 30, 2026 deadline for undocumented immigrants to leave South Africa, occur with increasing violence, displacement, and killings of migrants. This follows previous periods of xenophobic riots in South Africa, including incidents in 2008 that resulted in over 60 deaths and tens of thousands displaced, and further deadly riots in 2019. The current situation involves foreign-owned businesses being attacked and migrants being forced from their homes.

The government's stated commitment to strengthening borders and addressing economic challenges indicates an official response to the public frustrations, which President Ramaphosa attributed to inequality and slow economic growth, rather than scapegoating vulnerable individuals. The unrest impacts various nationalities, with countries like Nigeria, Ghana, and Mozambique repatriating their citizens. The timing of these events precedes South Africa's local elections in November 2026.