eThekwini residents march against undocumented foreigners

eThekwini residents protested on Monday against undocumented foreign nationals, demanding stricter immigration enforcement from the government.

The march, known as the ‘March in March’ campaign, was led by community activist Jacinta Ngobese, to submit a memorandum at the Durban City Hall in KwaZulu-Natal.

Speaking on Newzroom Afrika, Ngobese said residents were frustrated with the government’s handling of immigration issues.

“I think the main reason is that we’ve had an influx of illegal immigrants in the country, and the damage being done is growing more and more every day.

“We feel like our government has actually stripped away South Africans of their pride,” she said.

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WATCH: ‘It’s just the beginning’

As she spoke, marchers chanted slogans translated as “Let them go,” underscoring the tensions surrounding the issue.

Ngobese added that the march on Monday was only the start of continued action against illegal immigration.

Hundreds of people from across Durban, KwaZulu Natal (KZN) have gathered this morning to march against illegal immigrates in South Africa. #MarchInMarch pic.twitter.com/vBPF6zzRCj

— Ngazibini Siyephu (@Dlangamandla__) March 24, 2025

“The nice thing about today is that it’s not the end—it’s just the beginning. We know with every single fight, it has to start somewhere, and we are starting today. We are saying that we are making our voices heard because we always get accused of sitting behind our phones and not doing anything,” she said.

She also highlighted concerns about crime, claiming that illegal immigration was linked to the rise in drug trafficking and kidnappings in the country.

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Residents demand action on illegal immigration

Resident Zwakele Mncwango told The Citizen that government must enforce the laws on immigrants.

“Our government must enforce our laws. Our immigration act is clear on what must happen when someone is here illegally; it is a crime to be in this country illegally. The question is: Why government is doing nothing about this? So today we are saying we are uniting beyond politics[…] to say enough is enough,” he added.

Public Servants Association of South Africa (PSA) provincial manager, Mlungisi Ndlovu, said that the border management authority (BMA) must be able to secure the country’s borders.

“We must be able to support border management authority because before you can deal with undocumented illegals, you must check whether your border management authority is safe.  The law enforcement needs to take their actions,” Ndlovu told Newzroom Afrika.

He further stated that the march does not highlight discrimination.

“We are saying society must stand up. It is not a xenophobic attack; we’ll not support any xenophobic attack,” Ndlovu said.

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Political parties back the march

The African Transformation Movement (ATM) and ActionSA threw their support behind the march.

Speaking at the march, ATM Women’s League National Spokesperson Gugu Dlamini Xulu said illegal immigration undermines South Africans’ economic opportunities.

“The illegal occupation of microeconomic spaces poses a severe threat to local businesses and job opportunities for South Africans,” Xulu stated.

“Undocumented immigrants have been linked to serious issues such as human trafficking, the sex trade, and drug trafficking, which further threatens the safety and well-being of our communities.”

The party further called for the deportation of all undocumented immigrants and an investigation into those who acquired South African citizenship fraudulently.

ActionSA also echoed these sentiments, calling for tighter immigration control.

“We will stand alongside the organisers of the march and fellow South Africans in demanding stronger immigration enforcement and policies that prioritise the well-being of our communities and local businesses,” the party said in a statement.

The party highlighted that it has utilised multiple parliamentary oversight mechanisms to safeguard and promote South African ownership of the township economy.

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