South African Government Says Anti-Migrant Group’s September 30 Deadline Has No Legal Force

South African authorities said a 30 September deadline declared by the anti-immigration group March and March for undocumented foreign nationals to leave the country carries no legal authority, since private citizens cannot enforce deportations, according to Al Jazeera. The group has said it expects up to 1.5 million people to join demonstrations timed to the deadline, having first raised the demand at protests earlier in the year.

A Movement That Rejects the Xenophobia Label

March and March leaders say their campaign targets illegal immigration and deteriorating conditions in their communities rather than foreign nationals generally, and reject accusations of xenophobia, Al Jazeera reported. The group’s leader, Sphelele Shinga, has said protesters intend to press regional governments to take responsibility for their citizens living in South Africa without documentation. The demand echoes a similar deadline the group set on 30 June, which also generated anxiety among migrant communities despite carrying no legal weight.

Fear Among Refugee Communities

Refugee advocates say the deadline has fuelled fear regardless of its legal status. Bishop Raphael Bahebwa, an advocate for refugee rights, told Al Jazeera he had gone into hiding after receiving threats over his work defending foreigners’ rights. The outlet also reported earlier incidents of violence linked to the movement’s protests, including an altercation on 3 September in which police intervened after clashes left at least four people injured. South African police say they do not plan to change their normal policing approach because of the deadline and expect protesters to remain within the law. Authorities said they processed 86,596 foreign nationals for deportation through official channels between mid-June and late August.

Why It Matters

The recurring deadlines illustrate how a movement without formal government power can still shape public anxiety and put pressure on officials to respond, even when its demands have no basis in law. How South Africa’s government balances enforcement of its own immigration rules against protecting foreign nationals from vigilante action will be closely watched by neighbouring states whose citizens make up a significant share of the country’s migrant population.