Organisers of the planned June 30 shutdown have vowed that their protest action will not lead to violence, looting or deaths.
The groups, which include March and March, Operation Dudula and United South Africa, are calling for undocumented foreign nationals to leave South Africa by Tuesday, 30 June 2026. Their statement comes as police prepare a major security operation ahead of the deadline.
June 30 Shutdown Organisers Promise Peaceful Action
More than 20 anti-migrant organisations and civil groups addressed the media in Midrand, Johannesburg, on Wednesday. They said the planned June 30 shutdown would mark the start of rolling mass action aimed at pressuring government to tighten immigration controls.
United South Africa president Musa Hlongwa, reading a joint statement, said “no one will be violated” and “no looting will take place” in the name of the organisers. The groups also called on supporters not to destroy property during the protest.
The coalition wants government to strengthen border controls, increase funding for the Border Management Authority and Home Affairs, and expand deportations of undocumented foreign nationals. It also wants the township economy reserved for South African citizens.
Government Rejects Unofficial Deadline
The deadline has not been issued by the South African government. AFP Fact Check reported in June that a notice suggesting official approval of the 30 June deadline was not authentic and that the Department of Home Affairs had not endorsed it.
SABC News also reported that March and March had given government until the end of June to deal with undocumented migration after a meeting with ministers in the Justice, Crime Prevention and Security cluster.
President Cyril Ramaphosa and government ministers have warned against vigilantism while saying public concerns about migration must be addressed through the law. Reports have also linked recent anti-migrant tensions to fear among foreign nationals in several communities.
Police Prepare For June 30 Shutdown
Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia has said authorities are preparing for possible unrest linked to the June 30 shutdown. Daily Maverick reported that the policing operation is expected to cost taxpayers more than R600 million.
Organisers criticised the allocation, saying government had chosen to prepare security measures instead of engaging them directly. They also accused the South African Human Rights Commission and Home Affairs leadership of failing to address their concerns, but no direct response to those latest claims was included in the supplied source.
The organisers said the action would continue peacefully until their demands are met. Government, however, has made clear that only the state may enforce immigration law.