S. Africa's anti-immigration protests largely peaceful amid tight security

JOHANNESBURG — South Africa saw nationwide demonstrations against illegal immigration on Tuesday, as thousands of protesters marched through major cities under heightened security.

Authorities said most gatherings remained peaceful, though isolated incidents of violence and looting were reported.

The coordinated protests, organized by the March and March, Operation Dudula and other anti-immigration groups, followed an ultimatum issued by organizers setting June 30 as the deadline for undocumented immigrants to leave the country.

Demonstrators called for tighter border controls, tougher enforcement of immigration laws and faster deportation of undocumented migrants.

Authorities had deployed thousands of police officers nationwide ahead of the demonstrations, supported by specialized Public Order Police units, while the military remained on standby.

The National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure activated operational centers in all nine provinces, warning that any attempts to loot businesses, intimidate communities or disrupt critical infrastructure would be dealt with decisively.

Gauteng Provincial Police Commissioner Tommy Mthombeni said on Monday that 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 across the province to monitor the demonstrations and maintain public order.

Isolated incidents

Most demonstrations proceeded peacefully under heavy police presence, though authorities reported several isolated criminal incidents. In KwaZulu-Natal Province, police arrested at least 10 suspects for looting and attempted looting in Durban and surrounding areas.

In Gauteng, two people were injured by gunshots in Johannesburg's Hillbrow neighborhood during the protests. Provincial police spokeswoman Brenda Muridili said the suspects opened fire on the victims during the march.

"The three suspects were arrested and two licensed firearms, believed to have been used in the incident, were seized for further investigation," she said.

President Cyril Ramaphosa urged South Africans on Monday to exercise their constitutional right to protest peacefully while warning that violence, intimidation and vigilantism would not be tolerated during the demonstrations.

Justice Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi said immigration enforcement remains the responsibility of the state and warned that violence, intimidation, vigilantism, xenophobia, hate speech and attempts by civilians to demand identity documents from members of the public would not be tolerated.

Later on Tuesday, the government welcomed the largely peaceful conduct of the nationwide demonstrations and thanked South Africans for exercising their constitutional right to protest responsibly.

It also commended community leaders, civil society organizations, religious leaders, protest organizers and law enforcement agencies for helping ensure that most gatherings concluded without major violence.

By Tuesday evening, authorities said most demonstrations had dispersed peacefully despite isolated incidents being reported mainly in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal.

The demonstrations followed weeks of heightened tensions over illegal immigration, during which authorities repeatedly warned against vigilantism and xenophobic violence.

In recent weeks, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Nigeria, Ghana and Uganda have advised their nationals in South Africa to remain vigilant, while some governments have offered voluntary repatriation assistance to citizens who wish to return home.

XINHUA