“It’s Becoming a Witch Hunt”: Protesters Support Street Vendor Upon Realising She’s South African

• A viral video captured on X shows a massive crowd of anti-immigration protesters swarming a local woman's fruit and snack stall to buy out her stock
• While the large gathering initially raised safety concerns for the vendor, bystanders clarified that the marchers were there to financially support her business
• The creator of the post shared that the group rallied behind the street vendor after verifying that she was a South African local

An unexpected moment of unity during a local demonstration where protesters attempted to clear a street vendor's stand by buying goods moved South Africans. The video was shared on X by user @sanebhengu1 on 2 June 2026, gaining attention from many viewers.

The footage captures the tense atmosphere as the sheer volume of people surrounding the small business sparked immediate concern for an onlooker. A man watching the masses close in voiced his anxiety over the safety of the vendor and her stand. A female voice, in X user @sanebhengu1's video, however, noted that the demonstrators were supporting the woman by buying her stock after realising that she was a fellow local citizen.

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The current anti-immigration protests

South Africa is currently facing widespread anti-immigration protests organised by civil groups demanding stricter border control and the deportation of undocumented foreign nationals. Protesters argue that unregulated immigration has worsened local issues like high unemployment and rising crime rates. The escalating tensions have sparked major security concerns, leading to recent localised violence and causing countries like Ghana and Mozambique to repatriate their citizens. In response, government security officials have increased the deployment of immigration officers to handle the crisis.

Watch the X video below:

Mzansi weighs in on the vendor’s support video

The comment section was filled with mixed reactions from viewers who were among the crowd and some who were shocked by the massive support. Many noted that locals only have issues with undocumented foreigners, rather than local traders. Others corrected the post’s initial framing. They clarified that there was no chaos around the woman's stall to attack her and that the crowd gathered just to support her business, with some pointing out the police's presence.

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"This should be addressed": Limpopo woman worried about being targeted as a foreigner, SA concerned

User @duff_bery shared;

"It is becoming a witch hunt and a civil war against their own."

User @MzansiFarme commented:

"This proves the real anger is only against illegal foreigners. Deport every illegal foreigner now! Abahambe (they must go!” "

User @AlexSmith77314 asked:

"What kind of country is this?"

User @Jf98523925 said:

"And the police officers are with them."

3 Briefly News immigration protest-related articles

• A South African woman sparked a debate over immigration policies and historical border control after her video accusing the democratic government of inviting immigrants into the country went viral online.
• A South African content creator delivered a powerful, neutral, and clear plea against growing tribalism and prejudice targeting people from Limpopo based on the colour of their skin and accent.
• A Ghanaian repatriate showed off severe physical scars he alleged to have sustained during immigration protests in Mzansi, sparking a massive online debate.

Source: Briefly News