POLL | Do you think March and March’s second September 30 deadline will work?
Anti-illegal immigrant group March and March Movement has set September 30 as its new deadline for all undocumented foreign nationals to leave South Africa.
The movement announced the deadline on Monday during a demonstration in central Durban, outside the venue hosting the 46th Southern African Development Community (Sadc) Heads of State and Government Summit.
Leading the demonstration, March and March leader Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma urged regional leaders to “fetch your people”.
This follows the group’s initial nationwide protests ahead of its June 30 deadline calling for undocumented foreign nationals to leave South Africa. That led to thousands of migrants returning to their home countries as well as several people’s arrests.
“The movement has announced a second wave following the June 30 National Day of Action, calling on all heads of state to prepare for the massive deportation of all illegal foreign nationals in South Africa by September 30,” the organisation said in a statement.
“The movement is confident and in a structurally stronger position than it was on June 30 to launch the mother of all national days of action against illegal foreigners in South Africa.”
While the group has pushed immigration to the forefront of national discourse, many continue to question the long-term impact of its actions.