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Dozens of anti-illegal immigration participants marched through a township east of Johannesburg on Monday, a day after President Cyril Ramaphosa pledged action against groups accused of fuelling xenophobic violence.
Chanting and singing as they moved through Kwa-Thema, about 40 kilometres (25 miles) southeast of Johannesburg, demonstrators called for tougher government action against illegal immigration.
The march was peaceful, with some participants carrying sticks; footage aired by the SABC public broadcaster showed.
Ramaphosa acknowledged public concerns over illegal immigration in a national address late Sunday but warned that authorities would not tolerate anyone taking the law into their own hands.
“We will and must not allow groups to use the legitimate concerns of South Africans to destabilise our country through inciting lawlessness and violence,” he said.
“We will act against forces who are exploiting the concerns of our people about illegal immigration to further their own political, personal or criminal agendas.”
Organisers of the protests responded swiftly, saying they were encouraged that Ramaphosa had put the issue on the national agenda.
They vowed to press ahead with their campaign.
South Africa has seen recurring bouts of anti-migrant violence, with protests intensifying this year as vigilante groups ordered undocumented foreigners to leave by June 30.
Among Africa’s leading economies, South Africa is home to more than three million foreigners, just over five percent of the population.
But unemployment is running at more than 30 percent, fuelling tensions with migrant workers.
In the worst violence against immigrants in the last two decades, 62 people were killed in 2008. Violent clashes also erupted in 2015, 2016 and 2019.
At least two Mozambican citizens have been killed in the latest wave of unrest.
