Thuso Mbedu Breaks Silence Ahead of National Shutdown With Message to Protesters, SA Reacts

• Thuso Mbedu shared a message ahead of the national shutdown organised by the March and March Movement
• The post sparked a mix of reactions on social media, with both praise and criticism for Mbedu's stance
• Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma announced the peaceful march routes across South Africa's provinces

South African actress Thuso Mbedu has sparked reactions on social media after sharing a message ahead of the much-anticipated national shutdown organised by the March and March Movement. The demonstrations, led by broadcaster and activist Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma, are taking place across South Africa on Tuesday, 30 June 2026, with protesters calling for stronger action against illegal immigration.

While some South African celebrities have faced criticism on social media for remaining silent on issues affecting ordinary citizens, Thuso Mbedu has weighed in on the planned demonstrations. As conversations around the planned marches intensified, the Task star took to her official X (Twitter) account to share a brief message of support for protesters and also urged them to stay safe. The post was captioned:

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“NibeSafety namhlanje. Ushintsho lwenzeke. (Stay safe today. Change is coming).”

See the post below:

SA reacts after Thuso Mbedu speaks ahead of national shutdown

In the comments, social media users expressed gratitude to Thuso Mbedu for supporting the anti-illegal-immigration marches. Several took playful jabs at her by referencing her alleged relationship with broadcaster DJ Sbu.

Here are some of the comments:

@WakingTheUnwoke replied:

“Thank you, our child. Are you safe?”

@Eren_rsa advised:

“I love this, but as our national treasure I’d advise you stay out of this; they’ll label you as a xenophobe. Leave this to us with nothing to lose.”

@mzantsixplained gushed:

“You're a real one for this!”

@this_user15 said:

“Thank you. Have a beautiful day.”

Not everyone agreed with her message and criticised her. Here are some of the comments

@DimphoMk argued:

“Where have you ever seen change where the oppressed are fighting one another? Government economic policy is responsible for this, an economy that is for big business. Unfortunately, nothing will change. This is a recurring issue; you still have porous borders.”

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@uNtriza shared:

“I'm closing my farm the entire day despite getting assurance from the Stellenbosch station commander @SAPoliceService.”

@Mojava10111 alleged:

“A few years ago you were blushing for Lori Harvey's Nigerian bf. We are in this mess because of women like you; hence, many SA female celebs can't say a lot. I hate people like you who are part of the problem but also against the problem; choose one.”

@royal_fem said:

“This is an irresponsible comment from someone who is thriving in a foreign country!”

Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma shares marches' starting points

Meanwhile, Briefly News previously reported that Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma shared the official starting points and routes for marches across several provinces in South Africa.

March and March Movement has also made it clear that no weapons will be allowed at the gathering, as the march is expected to remain peaceful.

Source: Briefly News