South Africa readies police for June 30 anti‑immigrant protests

Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia met with senior South African Police Service officials, including Acting National Commissioner Lieutenant General Puleng Dimpane, provincial commissioners and intelligence leaders, to review operational readiness for demonstrations scheduled for 30 June 2026. The protests are being called by an anti‑immigrant organization that has set a deadline for foreign nationals to leave the country.

The briefing covered national and provincial security plans, coordination with private security firms, and planned visits to areas that have experienced instability. Weekly operations to verify the legal status of foreign nationals will continue, and any breaches of the law will be acted upon. Cachalia said he was confident in SAPS’s preparedness, reaffirming that peaceful protest will be respected while lawlessness, violence or intimidation will not be tolerated.