A protest outside the 46th SADC Summit in Durban has put illegal migration firmly on the regional agenda, with Zimbabwean nationals among those at the centre of demands for repatriation. The anti-illegal immigration group March and March staged a demonstration on Monday under the theme “It’s time to fetch your people”, urging SADC leaders to take decisive action on undocumented citizens residing in South Africa.
The group’s leader, Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma, criticised the summit for not giving civil society a stronger voice, saying that ordinary people’s experiences were being ignored. She called for practical border controls and legislation that prioritises South African citizens, while warning that the campaign would intensify if governments failed to act.
“We don’t mind having foreigners in our country who are properly documented, who are here doing correct things, who love the country as much as we do. Not people sitting here trying to rip the country of all that it has and then knowing that they’re going to go back to their country the minute all of it is over,” Ngobese-Zuma said.
The group has set a deadline of 30 September for mass deportation of undocumented foreign nationals, a move that could affect thousands of Zimbabweans living in South Africa. Zimbabwean authorities have long grappled with the challenge of citizens migrating south for economic opportunities, and any forced repatriation would place additional strain on the country’s already struggling economy.
SADC leaders, including Zimbabwe’s President, are attending the summit, which is expected to address regional integration and economic cooperation. However, the protest has highlighted the growing tension around migration within the bloc.
