ANC warns against xenophobia amid escalating anti-illegal immigration protests

The African National Congress (ANC) has warned against xenophobia and violence linked to anti-illegal immigration protests, saying growing tensions around undocumented foreign nationals risk undermining South Africa’s democratic and constitutional order.

The issue formed part of discussions during the ANC National Executive Committee meeting held over the weekend in Kempton Park, as protests intensify ahead of a planned national shutdown by the March and March movement on 30 June.

Briefing the media at Luthuli House in Johannesburg, ANC Secretary-General, Fikile Mbalula, said while concerns around illegal immigration are legitimate, protests must not descend into vigilantism, hate speech or attacks on foreign nationals.

Mbalula said communities are demanding visible government action on border management, undocumented migration and related criminality, but warned that inflammatory rhetoric and threats of violence were becoming increasingly dangerous.

His remarks come as the March and March movement confirmed it will proceed with its planned nationwide shutdown despite Monday’s engagements with ministers in the Justice, Crime Prevention and Security Cluster on Monday at the Union Buildings in Pretoria.

The movement is demanding the mass deportation of undocumented foreign nationals and a halt to refugee application processing, arguing that government has failed to adequately address illegal immigration.

The ANC says it does not consider all anti-illegal immigration protests xenophobic, but cautioned that some individuals were exploiting public frustration to fuel dangerous populism and intimidation.

Mbalula also warned that South Africa could not afford a repeat of the July 2021 unrest in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal, where hundreds of people were killed during widespread looting and violence.

The ANC also criticised businesses that employ undocumented foreign nationals in violation of labour and immigration laws.

According to Mbalula, some employers are using undocumented labour to suppress wages and bypass employment regulations, worsening tensions around jobs and inequality.

The ANC says companies found exploiting undocumented workers while sidelining South Africans could face investigations and enforcement action from labour inspectors, the South African Revenue Service (SARS), the Department of Employment and Labour and the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA).

The party maintains that while illegal immigration must be addressed decisively, any response must remain lawful, constitutional and humane.

ON MIGRATION, PEACE AND STABILITY — THE GOVERNMENT IS AT WORK
#MBALULA: The NEC spent substantial time discussing and evaluating the question of the present mobilisation against unlawful migrant communities in our Republic. The NEC finds that the issues raised by the activist… https://t.co/qR58dx1a6T

— ANC SECRETARY GENERAL | Fikile Mbalula (@MbalulaFikile) May 26, 2026

Written by: Lebohang Ndashe