On Sunday, thousands of Soweto residents gathered for a peaceful march against illegal immigration, highlighting concerns over jobs, resources and community safety ahead of a 30 June deadline set by anti-immigration groups.
The march began early on Sunday morning, with crowds including residents, hostel dwellers and indunas merging on Chris Hani Drive near Maponya Mall before proceeding to the Moroka Police Station. Participants voiced frustrations about unemployment, drug proliferation and housing allocations they attributed to foreign nationals.
Siphiwe Zondi, a 60-year-old from Diepkloof, told Daily Maverick that the government had failed to act on promises regarding immigration. “We love our government, but our government doesn’t love us,” he said. Sophie Mabe, 61, from Pimville Zone 4, echoed similar sentiments, noting long waits for housing since 1996.
Security was tight, with Johannesburg Metro Police, South African Police Service officers and private security deployed, alongside drones monitoring the crowd. The march caused traffic disruptions along Chris Hani Road and Koma Road but ended without incident after discussions with police.
The event forms part of broader actions by groups such as March and March, which have called for undocumented foreign nationals to leave by 30 June. Leaders assured participants that further demonstrations were planned for Monday at the Jabulani Amphitheatre.
