Video: Thousands march in South Africa to enforce unofficial June 30 immigration deadline
Abdullateef Fowewe
Thousands of South Africans took to the streets on June 30, 2026, in a series of large, sometimes tense demonstrations aimed at enforcing an unofficial deadline set by anti-immigrant activist groups for undocumented foreign nationals to leave the country.
Video footage circulating showed dense crowds filling urban streets from a high angle, with demonstrators marching past office blocks and retail storefronts under clear skies.
In some locations, shops stayed closed and public transport was disrupted, creating a “national shutdown” atmosphere as workers stayed home and businesses shuttered in anticipation of unrest.
The deadline, promoted by groups including the so-called “March and March” movement, is not government-sanctioned.
South Africa President, Cyril Ramaphosa has so far distanced himself from the call, saying June 30 would be a normal working day.
Nevertheless, the protests and threats tied to them have prompted widespread fear among migrant communities and prompted preemptive departures.
Dozens of voluntary evacuation flights were organised for some, but many others fled by road or remained stranded.
Humanitarian groups warned that rhetoric included menacing slogans and warnings such as “leave or return in a coffin,” which spurred migrants to shelter in place or attempt early departures.
