In June 2026, thousands of anti-migrant protesters marched through South Africa's main cities, demanding that all undocumented migrants leave the country. Businesses shut, police deployed in force, and armed vigilantes went door to door checking papers. The protests had a deadline: 30 June, set by groups such as March and March and Operation Dudula. By that date, South African police said 25,000 people had already been repatriated, most of them from other African countries. In the Sherwood suburb of Durban, around 10,000 terrified migrants huddled in a field beside a mosque, living in makeshift tents and hoping for a safe route out.
These scenes are the latest chapter in a long history of anti-immigrant violence in South Africa, which has erupted periodically since 2008. The protesters accuse undocumented migrants of taking jobs, straining public services and fuelling crime – claims that echo those heard in many countries, including the UK. The marches are loosely fronted by groups like March and March, led by former radio presenter Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma, and Operation Dudula, which has previously tried to block immigrants from accessing healthcare and schooling. A Zulu activist, Nkosikhona Ndabandaba, with more than 1.5 million Facebook followers, has led crowds through the streets wearing traditional attire.
“Explains the 2026 anti-immigrant protests in South Africa, their causes, and relevance to UK readers.”
The violence has left at least two dead, though the Malawian government says the number is five, and has prompted countries including Nigeria and Ghana to evacuate their citizens. In Hillbrow, a Johannesburg suburb with a high migrant population, three people opened fire at protesters, who retaliated by torching their vehicle; a 17-year-old was among the injured. In Germiston, demonstrators evicted residents they suspected were foreign nationals and handed them over to police. Looting has been reported in Johannesburg's Soweto township and in KwaZulu-Natal province. The police minister confirmed the army was deployed on a contingency basis in parts of Johannesburg and Durban.
The roots of this tension lie in South Africa's high unemployment, deep inequality and a perception that immigrants – especially from other African countries – are a burden. Many of the protesters say they are not against all foreigners, only those without documents. But the methods have been brutal: homes torched, businesses looted, and families forced to flee. One undocumented Malawian told the BBC he was “happy to be going back” but “heartbroken” to leave behind four young children.
For UK readers, the parallels are uncomfortable. In August 2025, Belfast saw an eruption of anti-migrant violence after a Sudanese asylum seeker was accused of a knife attack. African nurses were reportedly stopped at checkpoints. The UK has its own history of anti-immigrant riots, from the 2001 Bradford disturbances to far-right protests outside asylum hotels. The difference in scale is enormous – South Africa's protests involve thousands, with a declared intention to march every Thursday for six months – but the underlying dynamics of fear, economic anxiety and social division are strikingly similar. As one commentator put it, Britain can no longer look at such events with “detached incomprehension”.
The key questions many UK readers will have are answered below.
Q: What are the main groups leading the anti-migrant protests in South Africa? The two most prominent are March and March, led by former radio presenter Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma, and Operation Dudula, which has previously tried to stop undocumented immigrants from accessing healthcare and schools. Activist Nkosikhona Ndabandaba, with a large social media following, has also mobilised crowds.
Q: Why do these groups target immigrants, and who are the immigrants? The groups say undocumented migrants are responsible for crime, unemployment and pressure on public services. Most migrants come from other African countries, such as Malawi, Zimbabwe, Nigeria and Ghana. Many are in South Africa legally, but the protests have swept up both documented and undocumented foreigners.
Q: How has the South African government responded? Police have been deployed in large numbers, backed by private security and, in some areas, the army. Officers have arrested people for looting and violence. The government has received a memorandum of demands from protesters, but has not publicly changed its immigration policy. Police say 25,000 people have been repatriated so far.
The protests are not over. March and March has pledged to demonstrate every Thursday for the next six months to force the government to “get rid of” undocumented migrants still in the country. What happens after the 30 June deadline remains uncertain, but the vigilantes have warned of further action. With tens of thousands already displaced and several African countries evacuating their citizens, the risk of more violence is high. The world, including the UK, will be watching closely.