Thousands of protesters took to the streets across South Africa on 30 June 2026, calling for the deportation of undocumented migrants and stricter immigration policies as an anti-immigrant campaign deadline expired.
Demonstrations were held in major cities including Johannesburg, Pretoria, Durban and Cape Town, with organizers blaming migrants for unemployment, crime and pressure on public services. South Africa’s official unemployment rate stands at about 32 per cent.
Earlier this month, Cyril Ramaphosa urged citizens not to scapegoat migrants, saying the country’s economic and social challenges required practical solutions rather than targeting vulnerable communities.
In Johannesburg, more than 4,000 people marched towards Hillbrow, an area with a large migrant population, while a strong police presence was deployed nationwide to prevent violence. Authorities reported no major incidents or injuries as of Tuesday afternoon.
Human rights groups had warned that rising anti-immigrant rhetoric could spark a new wave of xenophobic attacks. Several countries, including Ghana, Nigeria, Malawi, Zimbabwe and Mozambique, have already repatriated some of their citizens amid growing tensions.