South Africa’s March and March movement has stepped up its campaign against undocumented migration, setting September 30 as the latest date by which it wants undocumented foreigners to leave the country.
The group announced the deadline on Monday while staging a demonstration in Durban, where the Southern African Development Community (SADC) summit is taking place.
The protesters moved through parts of the city as they sought to draw the attention of regional leaders to their demands over undocumented migrants.
March and March used the protest to appeal to African governments whose nationals are living in South Africa without valid immigration documents to take responsibility for their citizens.
The latest action follows a nationwide mobilisation by the group on June 30, when it called for stronger government measures to address undocumented immigration.
The movement said its September 30 deadline would be followed by a larger protest aimed at mounting further pressure on the South African government.
It urged South Africans to cooperate with law enforcement authorities by reporting people suspected of staying in the country illegally.
The demonstration coincided with the gathering of leaders from the 16 SADC member states for the bloc’s 46th Ordinary Summit of Heads of State and Government in Durban.
The renewed anti-immigration campaign comes against the backdrop of concerns about xenophobia and attacks targeting foreign nationals in South Africa.
President Cyril Ramaphosa has previously criticised the mistreatment of migrants from other African countries, warning against actions that undermine regional integration.
“We are deeply ashamed that people from other countries have suffered ill-treatment and that others have been forced to leave the country because of threats of violence,” Ramaphosa said.
He also warned against a contradiction between regional integration efforts and hostility towards foreigners, saying, “We cannot preach integration at a summit like this and practise exclusion on the streets of our countries.”
