JOHANNESBURG, GAUTENG — With the 46th SADC summit scheduled to take place in just over a month, South Africa anti-immigration protests have intensified, placing major metropolitan hubs on high alert. KwaZulu-Natal has emerged as the focal point of domestic tensions between local citizens and African diaspora immigrants, prompting massive coordinated marches by groups such as March & March and Operation Dudula. In response, law enforcement agencies in Johannesburg and Durban have mobilized integrated units to maintain order and prevent a recurrence of past national shutdowns.
In the economic hub of Gauteng, Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) spokesperson Xolani Fihla reported that normal commercial activities are continuing in the Johannesburg central business district without immediate disruptions. However, a robust coalition comprising the JMPD, SAPS Public Order Policing, provincial and national traffic authorities, and private security firms is actively monitoring the situation. While three protest applications were initially submitted for the inner city, one was withdrawn. Fihla emphasized that police are also bracing for unannounced service delivery demonstrations related to winter utility outages, following recent spontaneous gatherings in Soweto’s Jabulani area and Kliptown.
The approved inner-city procession, led by March & March, is slated to assemble at Beyers Naude Square adjacent to Library Gardens at 8:30 AM. The march is scheduled to commence at 10:00 AM, navigating through Helen Joseph, Troy, Twist, Kotze, and Queen streets, ultimately reaching Constitutional Hill by 1:00 PM to deliver a memorandum to the SAPS before dispersing at 2:00 PM. Motorists are advised to bypass these routes and utilize the M1, Joe Slovo Drive, and M2. Concurrently, the Mayuya Youth Activism Movement will lead a separate demonstration in Midrand focused on youth employment. Participants will convene at the intersection of Dale and Modderfontein roads at 9:00 AM, marching via Pretoria Main, Allendale, and Musgrave roads toward the Sandton industrial node, concluding by 1:00 PM.
In eThekwini, Durban Metro Police spokesperson Colonel Boysie Zungu confirmed that public transport networks, including taxis and buses, are operating smoothly. A major demonstration is scheduled to form at King Dinuzulu Park at 8:00 AM, stepping off at 10:00 AM. The route will proceed along West Street, Pixley kaSeme Street, and Gale Street, terminating at the Point Police Station. To safeguard both participants and the general public, traffic intersections along the Pixley kaSeme corridor have been temporarily closed.
Colonel Zungu noted that SAPS and metro officers have been strategically positioned across residential zones, freeways, the CBD, and a known foreign nationals’ encampment. He also clarified that local authorities did not outright ban any marches; rather, negotiations were ongoing regarding a proposed endpoint near the foreign nationals’ camp, which the municipality could not approve for security reasons, but the right to march was never denied.
The surge in demonstrations has drawn the attention of traditional authorities. Inkosi Zwelinzima Thwalizwe Gumede, deputy chairperson of the KZN Royal House of Traditional and Khoisan Leaders, stated that the provincial house recognizes the public’s grievances concerning undocumented migration, criminal activity, and the strain on state resources. While advocating for peaceful dialogue, he urged demonstrators to respect the rule of law and exercise their constitutional rights responsibly.
A notable point of contention involves the carrying of traditional weapons during these gatherings. The Western Cape provincial police commissioner recently warned that bearing sticks during demonstrations could be construed as inciting violence or brandishing weapons. Addressing this, Inkosi Gumede provided cultural context, explaining that for Zulu men, carrying a stick peacefully is a deeply rooted cultural expression of strength and identity, devoid of malicious intent. He distinguished between carrying cultural artifacts peacefully and using them to inflict harm, arguing that the former poses no danger and is a normal part of Zulu demonstrations.
Looking forward, the traditional leader stressed the necessity of strict adherence to national immigration laws and constitutional frameworks by all residents and government entities. Reaffirming the stance of the royal house, Inkosi Gumede insisted that traditional leaders will not resort to vigilantism, choosing instead to rely on the nation’s legal structures to ensure a peaceful and orderly resolution to the ongoing unrest.