South Africa braces for anti‑immigrant protests and mass migrant departures on June 30

Anti‑immigrant groups, most prominently the March and March movement and Operation Dudula, have set a June 30 deadline for all undocumented foreigners to leave South Africa. The groups say they seek mass deportations, while the government has warned that it will not tolerate violence and has deployed additional security forces, citing fears of a repeat of the deadly xenophobic unrest of July 2021.

Thousands of migrants from Malawi, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, the Democratic Republic of Congo and other African nations have gathered at makeshift camps in Durban, Cape Town and at the Border Management Authority’s Beitbridge crossing, seeking repatriation before the deadline. The Border Management Authority reports processing of over 15,000 people, and the Home Affairs department has set up temporary repatriation centres in Musina and Durban. Humanitarian groups such as Gift of the Givers provide food, blankets and medical aid to those waiting in shelters.

Political parties including the ANC, DA and EFF have publicly rejected the planned shutdown, urging respect for the rule of law. Investigative reports link the anti‑immigrant movement to family networks of former president Jacob Zuma, though no direct involvement has been proven. Threats to migrants – exemplified by statements that they must “leave or return in a coffin” – have heightened fear, prompting some African governments to arrange evacuation flights while Lesotho has said it will not repatriate its nationals.

Overall, the situation combines a volatile mobilisation, large‑scale humanitarian displacement, and heightened political tension across South Africa and the region.