Ramaphosa Pledges Action as Anti-Migrant Protests Grip South Africa

South Africa has seen a surge in countrywide anti-migrant protests since April 2026, resulting in deaths, property destruction, and the displacement of thousands. Radical groups, including Operation Dudula and the #PutSouthAfricaFirst campaign, have used social media and AI-generated notices to mobilize the March and March movement. This movement set a June 30 deadline for undocumented foreign nationals to leave the country and for businesses to terminate their employment.

Cyril Ramaphosa, the President of South Africa, responded by committing to five actions to address the unrest. These measures include cracking down on labor law violations, preventing irregular entry, and eliminating systemic corruption within the immigration system. The Special Investigating Unit supported these efforts by finding that the immigration system had been treated as a marketplace for selling permits.

While the March and March movement claims there are 15 to 30 million illegal immigrants, Statistics South Africa reported only 3.1 million total immigrants in 2023. Public Works Minister Dean Macpherson called for police action against those inciting violence online, and the South African Police Service began monitoring social media. TikTok banned the account of movement leader Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma, though other inflammatory accounts remain active. The African Union and various governments have condemned the marches, while the Institute for Security Studies warned that politicians are scapegoating foreigners ahead of November's local elections.