By Gabriel Manyati
Hundreds of supporters of Operation Ubuntu took to the streets of Cape Town today, calling on the South African government to halt the deportation and repatriation of migrants and to provide greater protection against ongoing attacks.
The Cape Town leg of the coordinated action, organised under the banner Africa Stands Together, began in Hanover Street near the Cape Peninsula University of Technology and was scheduled to proceed past the South African Police Service offices in the city centre, the Department of Home Affairs and Parliament.
Similar marches took place in Johannesburg and Durban on the eve of National Women’s Day.
Protesters, many dressed in red to symbolise blood, sacrifice and unity, carried placards demanding an immediate end to xenophobic violence and a moratorium on the removal of migrants. Organisers framed the demonstration as both a protest against anti-migrant attacks and a declaration of pan-African solidarity.
Tauriq Jenkins, a member of the organising committee, said the march challenged the politics of exclusion. “We will not allow scapegoating to hide the real theft of our land and resources. Migrant women and families are part of our communities – their safety is our fight.”
He added: “On the eve of Women’s Day we stand united – migrant women, local women, children – demanding safety, shelter and justice. Silence is not an option.”
Operation Ubuntu coordinator General Moyo alleged that police were failing to act against vigilante groups. The coalition’s core demands include immediate action to end xenophobic attacks and protect migrant communities, rejection of the Prevention of Illegal Eviction from and Unlawful Occupation of Land Amendment Bill, an end to the criminalisation of poverty, and urgent measures against gender-based violence.
The action follows months of heightened tension after anti-immigration groups, including March and March and Operation Dudula, set an unofficial 30 June deadline for undocumented migrants to leave the country. That campaign prompted large-scale repatriations and deportations, with authorities reporting tens of thousands of foreign nationals processed for removal, predominantly from Malawi, Zimbabwe and Mozambique.
Migrants reported threats, intimidation and attacks, while government officials insisted that only authorised officers may enforce immigration laws and warned against vigilantism.
Malvern de Bruyn, Western Cape provincial secretary of Cosatu, previously backed similar solidarity efforts, stating: “We’re here today to show our fellow brothers and sisters of Africa that we support them because they are not foreigners to us. They are part of us because we are all Africans. That’s why we speak about Ubuntu.” He argued that employers, not migrant workers, were primarily responsible for labour market abuses by hiring undocumented people to undercut wages and conditions.
SABC News reported that organisers specifically sought a government moratorium on repatriations while promoting African solidarity and stronger protection for vulnerable communities. The marches occurred amid continued government operations against illegal immigration and localised unrest linked to earlier protests.
Police maintained a visible presence as the Cape Town procession moved through the city. No major incidents were immediately reported from the Western Cape action, though organisers emphasised that migrant safety remained under threat and that existing measures were insufficient.
The coalition, involving close to 80 community groups, has called for a continent-wide vigil later on Saturday under the slogan Africa Unite. Participants and supporters continue to press authorities to prioritise protection and reverse what they describe as policies that deepen division rather than address structural inequality, housing shortages and resource extraction.
