Overview
- Hundreds of protesters in Johannesburg on Wednesday, following Tuesday’s march in Pretoria, rallied under the March and March banner with support from Operation Dudula and parties like ActionSA and the Patriotic Alliance.
- March and March delivered a memorandum at the Gauteng Legislature that gives Premier Panyaza Lesufi seven days to respond to demands for tougher immigration enforcement, tighter borders, and action against alleged crime networks.
- Reported flashpoints included a Cameroonian man assaulted in Braamfontein and a marcher briefly pointing a gun, with police managing tensions as parts of the crowd veered off the agreed route.
- Government officials warned against attacks on foreign nationals and said border controls are being tightened, as officers prioritized public safety and businesses shut over fear of looting.
- Diplomatic groups urged foreign nationals to stay indoors and close shops, reflecting anxiety after recent xenophobic incidents and wide uncertainty over migrant numbers, even as researchers say immigrant presence does not track with higher crime.