Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni has unequivocally dismissed any possibility of a national shutdown on June 30, 2026, responding to planned mass actions by civic groups opposing undocumented foreign nationals.
Addressing journalists following a Cabinet meeting earlier this week, Ntshavheni acknowledged that organizations including Insizwa Ngobunsizwa and the March and March Movement are coordinating demonstrations across South Africa. She reaffirmed that the Constitution guarantees citizens the right to assemble and protest peacefully, but stressed that this right does not extend to extrajudicial action.
“South Africans have the right to protest and they can march in terms as provided for by the Constitution,” Ntshavheni stated. “But South Africans have no right to take the law into their own hands.”
The Minister made it clear that the state retains full authority over national operations. “There’s nobody who is going to enforce a shutdown of this country,” she said, calling for public confidence in established legal processes.
Ntshavheni declined to share specifics about how government classifies the organizers behind the planned marches, explaining that transparency at this stage could hinder active investigations. “If we then disclose what our categorization of the people behind the marches and everything else, we may compromise the work that is being done by law enforcement and nodes,” she noted.
She indicated that President Cyril Ramaphosa will elaborate on the government’s coordinated strategy, which aligns with prior briefings, parliamentary discussions, and communications from the criminal justice cluster. “Government has been for the longest time seized with work to deal with migration,” Ntshavheni added, highlighting migration management as an ongoing priority.
As June 30 approaches, authorities are urging the public to pursue grievances through lawful channels and to support efforts that maintain public order. The government reiterated its dual commitment: protecting constitutional freedoms while preventing disruption to essential services and national stability.