South Africa Jails and Deports Undocumented Immigrants Following Protests

Infrastructure Damage Conviction and Deportation Orders

According to South Africa police, two undocumented foreign nationals received a six-year prison sentence alongside an additional three-month term for entering South Africa illegally. Authorities stated that the pair committed the offense when they “tamper wit and damage essential infrastructure at Three Sisters.” Police confirmed that once the defendants finish serving their respective prison terms, the court ordered that they be handed over to the Department of Home Affairs, Immigration Services, for deportation to their respective countries of citizenship.

Counterfeit Goods Raids and Arrests in Musina and Gauteng

In a separate operation targeting illicit clothing businesses in the Musina area, South Africa police arrested three male foreign nationals for violating the Counterfeit Goods Act 37 of 1997. According to police, the suspects—two Ethiopian nationals and one Senegalese national—appeared before the Magistrate court on Thursday, 20 August 2026, and were remanded in police custody for further investigation and bail applications. Authorities also arrested a fourth Ethiopian national for attempting to bribe police officers; that suspect received bail, with the case scheduled to continue on Monday, 24 August 2026. Police reported seizing counterfeit goods worth thousands of rands alongside a substantial amount of cash used in the attempted bribe. Additionally, on Thursday, 20 August 2026, a police team operating under Operation Basadi executed a roadblock on the N4 Road near the Nkomazi Toll Plaza, arresting 13 undocumented foreign nationals and seizing 438 items of illicit and counterfeit goods—including cosmetics, cell phone accessories, watches, toys, and cigarettes—during an operation shanela in Gauteng province, according to police accounts.

September Protest Deadlines and Public Impact

The latest enforcement actions arrive as the March and March anti-immigration group announced 30 September as a fresh deadline for undocumented foreigners to leave the country. The movement, which has led protests since early April and organized nationwide demonstrations on 30 June alongside vigilantes, stated that it plans to repeat the June protests under the theme for African country leaders to “fetch dia pipo.” BBC reporting highlights that the broader climate of protest and scrutiny has caused widespread fear among legal refugees and long-term undocumented residents alike. A Burundian woman sheltering outside Durban’s Home Affairs office told the BBC that despite holding refugee status recognition documents, she and her four children face constant harassment and insults. Similarly, a Malawian beauty therapist who has lived in Cape Town for 16 years without legal status told the BBC that routine activities like taking an Uber or visiting shops have become intimidating due to strangers demanding papers. President Cyril Ramaphosa recently addressed the public in a special national address, warning that no individual or group holds the right to demand proof of nationality in public spaces. According to the BBC, the president outlined a coalition government five-point strategy to manage the crisis, which includes refusing asylum claims from individuals traveling through safe countries, introducing naturalization quotas, and expanding digital IDs for non-citizens.

What May Happen Next

As the 30 September deadline approaches, the March and March movement announced it would repeat the 30 June nationwide protest.