Tensions rise in South Africa as demonstrations against immigration escalate prior to municipal polls

On June 8, 2026, hundreds of protesters marched through a township outside Johannesburg, waving a South African flag and demanding the departure of undocumented migrants, just a day after President Cyril Ramaphosa vowed to take action against groups inciting xenophobic violence.

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Phakela Ndabandaba, a charismatic leader, rallied several hundred South African men in a Zulu war cry against undocumented immigrants, chanting "We are ready to act" as they marched through the streets, many armed with sticks, whips, and shields.

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Ndabandaba, who is emerging as the face of a nationwide protest movement, led the march in Kwa-Thema, near Johannesburg, where protesters demanded that foreigners without papers leave the country by June 30, a deadline that has been widely circulated on social media.

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The protest movement, which is being fueled by online hate speech and has led to the killings of two Mozambican nationals, is stirring up tensions ahead of local elections in November, with many foreign nationals reporting intimidation and beatings by mobs.

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Uledi Folloma, a 31-year-old Malawian national, told of how his home was broken into by a mob, who took his belongings and chased him away, as he waited with scores of other foreign nationals for buses to take them back to their home countries.

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Ghana, Mozambique, and Malawi are among the countries that have repatriated hundreds of their nationals this month, with South African authorities stating that most of the repatriated individuals did not have the correct documentation to be in the country.

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Ndabandaba, whose full name is Nkosikhona Phakel'umthakathi Ndabandaba, has distanced himself and his followers from the violence, stating that they have never killed or hit anyone in the year and six months that they have been marching.

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As campaigning begins for the local government elections, President Cyril Ramaphosa's ANC party is expected to face a tough challenge, with Ndabandaba's group and other citizen-led fringe groups stirring up anti-migrant sentiment and blaming foreign nationals for taking scarce jobs and resources.

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Ndabandaba, who hails from KwaZulu-Natal, has said that his group has no political aspirations and only wants to "awaken our leaders" to the issue of undocumented migrants, but analysts believe that the group's actions may have significant implications for the upcoming elections.

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The founder of March and March, Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma, has also denied any desire to enter politics, despite her group's growing influence and the fact that the small ActionSA party has expressed interest in welcoming her as a member.

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According to Loren Landau from the African Centre for Migration and Society, the protest movement is evolving into a national movement with significant financing, a strong social media presence, and charismatic leaders, which could have a major impact on the outcome of the elections.

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Analysts such as Kingsley Makhubela believe that the citizen-led protest groups may see themselves as "kingmakers" in the next election, but the question of who is funding their activities remains unclear.

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As the elections approach, the situation is becoming increasingly volatile, with governance expert Tendai Mbanje describing the environment as "unforgiving" and warning that the mix of genuine socio-economic grievances and populist rhetoric could lead to further violence and instability.