Durban Protesters Rally Against Undocumented Immigration and Gender-Based Violence

Hundreds of people took to the streets of Durban on Wednesday to protest against undocumented immigration, as demonstrations organised by the March and March movement were held across several South African provinces.

Organisers said the marches also denounced gender-based violence, linking the protests to wider concerns about the safety of women in the country.

Migration tensions

South Africa has experienced an intense anti-immigration campaign over recent months. The campaign has been accompanied by episodes of violence against foreign citizens, with several immigrants reported killed.

The official death toll connected to the violence remains disputed between South African and foreign authorities. No agreed figure has been provided for the number of deaths.

March and March had set September 30 as an unofficial deadline for undocumented immigrants to leave South Africa. The movement’s demonstrations on Wednesday took place against that backdrop, although the exact number of protesters in Durban was not specified.

An AFP tally, based on figures released by African governments that repatriated their nationals, reported that more than 200,000 people had fled South Africa. The figure is based on those government releases and is separate from the disputed death toll.

Violence against women

The demonstrations also followed renewed concern over violence against women. The discovery of women’s bodies in Ekurhuleni, east of Johannesburg, reignited alarm over persistently high levels of violence against women in South Africa.

At least 11 women were reported killed in Ekurhuleni since mid-July. The cases added to pressure over the issue and formed part of the concerns cited by organisers during the wider protests.

President Cyril Ramaphosa announced new measures on Tuesday to better protect women. Details of the measures were not provided in the available information.

The Durban protest therefore brought together two issues that have generated sustained public concern: opposition to undocumented immigration and demands for action against gender-based violence. The demonstrations were part of a broader mobilisation by March and March across several provinces.