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Demonstrators carrying ceremonial Zulu weapons have called on police to make more arrests across the nation.
15:01, Sun, Jul 12, 2026 Updated: 15:03, Sun, Jul 12, 2026
Protests have taken place across South Africa (Image: Anadolu via Getty Images)
Fury has erupted in South Africa with protesters calling for the arrest of all immigrants. A mob of demonstrators, wielding sticks and baseball bats, marched through the streets of Johannesburg calling for the "arrest of all foreigners on sight".
Anti-immigrant sentiments have surged across the nation over the past seven months due to soaring unemployment, record levels of inequality and rising cost of living. Thousands of people have called for a crackdown on illegal immigration under the "March and March" movement. Led by Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma, the protesters have even entered schools and homes, demanding that immigrants present their documentation.
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As reported by The Telegraph, around 50,000 immigrants, from countries including Malawi, Zimbabwe and Mozambique, have been repatriated or deported since the movement announced they had to leave by June 30. Further protests are now scheduled in cities across the nation every Thursday.
According to the World Bank, almost 150,000 people arrived in South Africa in 2025 compared with nearly 615,000 in 2015. However, immigration remains a prevalent issue across the nation with politicians pledging to crack down on illegal arrivals.
South Africa's high unemployment rate is a factor in the surging anti-migrant sentiment. Data shows that nearly 33% of people in the nation are out of work which is the highest rate in the world.
During a recent protest in Johannesburg, demonstrators carried ceremonial Zulu weapons and pleaded with police to make more arrests. A commander replied: "You give us information like last time and we will arrest them.
The protests are planned across various cities every Thursday (Image: AFP via Getty Images)
"Just do not violate, do not beat people, do not assault people. Do not ask for passports. Only the police can ask for passports."
The mob continued to call on the police to "arrest all foreigners on sight" and close foreign-run shops. They insisted on accompanying them as they "evacuate illegal immigrants".
During the march, one shop owner was told to "close as soon as possible". The shop, which is owned by three asylum-seekers from Ethiopia who moved to South Africa nine years ago, said they close during the protests as they are "afraid" of what might happen.
One of the owners said: “We are afraid and close when they are marching. We are scared they will loot."
Some of the protesters wield ceremonial Zulu weapons (Image: AFP via Getty Images)
The protesters also handed out pamphlets designed to look live eviction notices in the hope they would be passed on to foreign shopkeepers. Some even forced their way into homes to search for undocumented migrants before handing them over to police.
The protests, which have been concentraed in Johannesburg, Durban and Pretoria, have caused tens of thousands of migrants to flee South Africa so far.
Meanwhile, the South African Police Service (SAPS) has deployed heavy security presence across protest hotspots. Over 900 arrests have been made so far in connection to demonstrations and looting.
President Cyril Ramaphosa has acknowledged public concerns regarding border control but has warned the South African people against illegal vigilantism.
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