JOHANNESBURG, Gauteng — As the controversial June 30 deadline against undocumented immigration arrives, South Africa’s anti-migrant marches have brought major urban centers to a standstill. The nationwide protests have triggered an unprecedented security lockdown, leaving city streets eerily quiet and forcing widespread business closures while law enforcement maintains a massive ground and aerial presence to ensure public safety.
Authorities have adopted a zero-tolerance approach to potential unrest. Deputy National Police Commissioner Lt. Gen. Tebelo Mosikili issued a stern directive ahead of the demonstrations, emphasizing that the state is fully prepared for the influx of demonstrators. “Let there be no doubt government is ready. We will secure every lawful and peaceful demonstration and safeguard critical infrastructure whilst maintaining public order,” Mosikili stated. He also issued a direct warning to opportunistic criminals, adding, “Where criminality presents itself we will respond swiftly. Do not test the state.”
Johannesburg CBD Grinds to a Halt
The usually bustling inner city of Johannesburg has adopted a “wait and see” approach, with the atmosphere drawing comparisons to pandemic-era lockdowns. At the Powerhouse Bus Station—a major cross-border transit hub located at the corner of Wolmarans and Simmonds streets, near Smith Street—business has completely ceased. Typically a chaotic and crowded space where foreign nationals catch buses home, the terminal saw no buses entering or leaving, and surrounding shops have bolted their doors.
Despite the quiet streets, the City of Johannesburg has approved three concurrent, legally sanctioned marches scheduled to commence at 10:00 a.m.
The largest of these is convened by the March and March Movement, which assembled at Beyers Naudé Square. Organizers anticipate a turnout of 5,000 people for the procession, which is slated to move toward Constitution Hill. Sandile Dube, a spokesperson for the movement’s National Executive Committee, clarified that the demonstrators are specifically seeking high-level engagements.
“We are not going there for a station commander. We are going there for a provincial commissioner or a deployee of the provincial commissioner,” Dube explained, noting the memorandum handover will take place at the Sunnyside Police Station. The organizers are demanding the presence of the provincial police commissioner, the Premier’s Department of Community Safety, and Tshwane Mayor Nasiphi Moya to accept their demands.
Simultaneously, the Labour and Civic Organisation (LACO) is leading a march of approximately 1,200 people, assembling at the intersection of Kotze and Hospital streets in Hillbrow. Meanwhile, the Mayibuye Youth Activism Movement has mobilized an expected 800 participants for a separate procession in Midrand, north of the CBD.
Heavy Aerial Surveillance in Ekurhuleni and Pretoria
In the capital, a legally approved march gathered at Church Square in the Pretoria CBD by 10:00 a.m., with demonstrators proceeding toward the Sunnyside Police station to deliver their demands.
Security measures have been equally intense in the City of Ekurhuleni, particularly in Katlehong and Thokoza. Aerial monitoring has been relentless, with up to five police helicopters continuously hovering over the townships to deter any outbreak of violence. On the ground, a massive police footprint was established near the Sprayed View offramp and multiple filling stations along the M3 highway. These specific areas have been flashpoints for tension in recent months, previously making national headlines following the alleged kidnapping of a local spaza shop owner who later returned home safely.
Soweto Residents Feel the Squeeze
In Soweto, hundreds of demonstrators mobilized against undocumented migrants, starting their march from the Bara Taxi Rank near Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital. A primary objective of the Soweto marchers is to monitor whether local taxis are operating in compliance with the directives of taxi associations SANTACO and the NTA.
The immediate impact of the protests has been felt most acutely by everyday residents. Out of an abundance of caution, numerous foreign-owned spaza shops have shuttered their businesses. Community members expressed frustration over the sudden lack of access to basic goods. With local shops closed, residents reported struggling to buy basic necessities like bread, forcing them to either undertake a 40-minute walk or pay for transport to reach a shopping mall that is normally just a 10-minute drive away.
As the day progresses, authorities continue to monitor all routes, maintaining a heavy blend of public police and private security to ensure the marches remain peaceful and that the June 30 deadline passes without incident.