S. African authorities deploy thousands of police amid nationwide anti-immigration protests

JOHANNESBURG - South African authorities deployed thousands of police officers on Tuesday as demonstrations against illegal immigration were held across the country under heightened security.

Demonstrations were reported in several major cities, including Johannesburg, Pretoria, Cape Town and Durban. According to local media, more than 10,000 protesters were expected to gather at Church Square in Pretoria, the country's administrative capital. Earlier, the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department said three protest marches in Johannesburg had been approved, with attendance also expected to exceed 10,000.

The Police Ministry said that while most demonstrations remained peaceful, police responded to isolated incidents of criminality. It warned that anyone attempting to exploit the protests to commit crimes would face decisive law enforcement action.

Ahead of the demonstrations, Gauteng Provincial Police Commissioner Tommy Mthombeni said about 13,000 South African Police Service officers, more than 10,000 metro police officers, around 8,000 traffic wardens and over 217,000 private security personnel were mobilized to monitor the demonstrations and maintain public order.

The protests followed weeks of mobilization by anti-immigration groups, including March and March as well as Operation Dudula, among others.

The organizers say they are protesting what they describe as the government's failure to address illegal immigration, demanding stronger border controls, faster deportation of undocumented migrants, stricter enforcement of immigration laws, and prioritizing South African citizens in employment opportunities and public services.

"What we want is for undocumented immigrants to be returned so that limited resources benefit poor and vulnerable South Africans. Every country prioritizes its own citizens. Why shouldn't South Africa?" Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma, the leader of March and March, told local media earlier this month.

The protests disrupted normal activities in parts of Johannesburg, including Hillbrow, Alexandra, Tembisa and Soweto. Some businesses closed temporarily as a precaution, while public transport operators reported lower passenger numbers.

Growing tensions surrounding the nationwide demonstrations in South Africa have also prompted several African governments to issue security advisories. In recent weeks, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Nigeria, Ghana and Uganda urged their citizens in South Africa to remain vigilant, with some governments offering voluntary repatriation assistance for those wishing to return home.

The South African government has repeatedly rejected vigilante action, stressing that the enforcement of immigration laws is the responsibility of state authorities.

In his weekly newsletter published on Monday, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa called on South Africans to exercise their constitutional right to protest peacefully while warning that violence, intimidation and vigilantism would not be tolerated during the demonstrations.