Durban – The rising anti-black foreign national sentiment found expression in a protest march in eThekwini in which participants demanded that the South African government tighten immigration laws and border control.
On Friday, 1 August 2025, protestors assembled at Gugu Dlamini Park and marched to the Durban Magistrate’s Court.
The protest march organised by the March in March movement, was supported by several political parties, including Inkatha Freedom Party, Patriot Alliance, Operation Dududula, Action SA, uMkhonto we Sizwe Party, African Transformation Movement, and the National Freedom Party.
Although the protest march was billed as “Wathinta abafazi, wathinta imbokodo” to honour Women’s Month, it soon emerged that the real focus was on undocumented foreign nationals, also referred to as “illegals”, blamed for escalating crime and pressure on services.
Protesters chanted: “Sifuna i-border gate, abahambe” (We want tighter border control; undocumented foreign nationals must leave).
Popular radio personality Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma, whose contract with Vuma FM has been terminated, reportedly for her activism with the March in March movement, addressed the protestors outside the Durban Magistrate’s Court.
A new report by the Human Sciences Research Council reveals that 33.1% of women in SA aged 18 and older have endured physical violence in their lifetime.
However, without mentioning any ills affecting the women of South Africa, Ngobese-Zuma shifted the focus of the march from honouring women’s month to tackling undocumented foreign nationals.
Ngobese-Zuma lamented that some local community members were contributing to the issue of illegal immigration, especially those who provide back rooms to undocumented individuals.
She also called for a “closer look” at the issuing of business licenses, especially spaza shops, estimated to be worth R5 million, and owned by foreign nationals.
The radio personality also urged the police to familiarise themselves with the country’s immigration laws to better tackle the influx of undocumented immigrants.
The protestors handed a memorandum to representatives from the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development, demanding the following:
- urgent court intervention on public healthcare strain allegedly caused by illegal immigration.
- Mass deportation of undocumented foreign nationals
- Prosecution of foreign nationals who are in South Africa illegally
- Reclaim hijacked buildings, especially in Durban Central, South Beach Point
- Courts were urged to oversee the issuing of business licences, especially spaza shops
- Enforcement of the immigration laws
- Prosecution of drug cartels in South Africa
- Prosecution of government officials caught selling SA IDs to foreign nationals
Deputy Secretary General of the Patriotic Alliance Victoria Africa, was even more brazen in her anti-foreign national stance, stating: “We don’t care if you have a legal document or no documents, you are not supposed to participate in informal settlements as a foreign national”.
Africa added: “According to the constitution under the Immigration Act 13 of 2002, if a foreign national has no papers, such a person, according to Section 32.2 of the Immigration Act… the law says we must deport… it is very clear“.
Operation Dududula leader, Zandile Dubula, implored SA courts to prioritise cases in which homes belonging to elderly women had been hijacked allegedly by foreign nationals.
Meanwhile, the SA government faces accusations of silence and neglect regarding xenophobic violence and systemic discrimination.
Migrants are often blamed for taking jobs and overwhelming social services such as state hospitals and clinics, but experts say this ignores deeper systemic issues.
“Xenophobia is a distraction from failed economic policies, corruption, and poor governance,” said Professor Naledi Sibanda, a sociologist at the University of Cape Town.
Executive Director of Amnesty International South Africa, Shenilla Mohamed, has previously warned: “South African authorities must stop fueling xenophobia in their desperate attempt to win political support.
“Rather, they must build a country that is rooted in respect for human rights and the rule of law that protects everyone”.
Mohamed suggested that South African authorities must come up with a security plan to ensure the safety of all refugees and migrants.
Last month, the government said it has noted with serious concern reported incidents where certain groups and communities have blocked foreign nationals from accessing healthcare services at public facilities.
In a statement on 5 July 2025 the SA government called on all communities to uphold the rule of law, respect human dignity, and continue to work together to build a united and inclusive South Africa.
The government said the South African Police Service, along with other law enforcement agencies, was implementing an operational plan to address the protests.
“While the government understands the genuine frustrations of many citizens regarding the pressures on public services, including overburdened clinics and exhausted healthcare workers, members of the public are urged to raise such concerns through lawful and appropriate channels.
“Taking the law into one’s own hands is unacceptable and undermines the values enshrined in our democratic Constitution,” said the Government Communication and Information System.
Such actions stand in direct violation of the SA constitution, which affirms the foundational values of human dignity, equality, and the advancement of human rights and freedoms.
Section 27(1) of the Constitution of SA, 1996, clearly provides that “everyone has the right to have access to healthcare services”.
“This right is not subject to an individual’s nationality or immigration status,” stated the Government Communication and Information System
“Denying individuals healthcare based on their origin is a violation of our laws and values as a nation.
“Additionally, South Africa is a signatory to several regional and international agreements that aim to ensure access to healthcare for its citizens and, in some cases, for individuals within its borders.”
