South Africa’s anti-immigration group, March and March, has announced 30 September as a fresh deadline for undocumented foreigners to leave the country.
The group made the declaration during a protest outside the Southern African Development Community (SADC) summit in Durban on Monday, where it called on African leaders to take back their citizens living in South Africa without valid documentation.
March and March marched through central Durban under the theme, “It’s time to fetch your people”, as leaders from the regional bloc’s 16 member states gathered for the 46th Ordinary SADC Summit of Heads of State and Government.
The group had previously staged nationwide protests on 30 June, demanding tougher action against undocumented immigration and warning that it would continue its campaign until the government addressed its concerns.
According to BBC News Pidgin, March and March described Monday’s action as the second phase of its 30 June National Day of Action.
“We are announcing the second wave of the 30 June National Day of Action and calling on the heads of state to prepare for the massive deportation of all illegal foreigners from South Africa by 30 September, which will be the mother of all protests,” the group said.
It also urged South Africans to support law enforcement efforts by reporting undocumented foreigners to the authorities.
“South Africans must follow the law and remain the eyes and ears of the police against any illegal foreigners in the country,” the group added.
The latest protest comes amid renewed debate over South Africa’s treatment of foreign nationals. President Cyril Ramaphosa has previously condemned discrimination and violence against people from other African countries.
The 30 June protests were accompanied by security operations, while police reports cited in the original report also documented incidents of attacks and looting in some areas.
March and March has continued to demand stricter measures against undocumented immigration, while tensions over the treatment of foreign nationals have also led several African countries to evacuate their citizens from parts of South Africa.
The group’s latest action has brought the immigration dispute directly to the doorstep of the SADC summit, where regional leaders are meeting to discuss issues affecting member states and their citizens.
