Tensions Flare at Durban March and March Rally Amid Alleged Shooting

• Reports of violence, including an alleged shooting, erupted at the March and March rally in Durban
• Authorities have yet to confirm the incident, though there are claims that police shot a protester in the leg
• ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba joined March and March in their call for undocumented foreigners to leave South Africa

DURBAN – Reports of violence emerged at the March and March rally in Durban on Wednesday, with unconfirmed claims that a participant was shot by police.

Reports say a woman attending the march in Point was allegedly shot in the leg, though authorities have yet to substantiate the report.

Clashes with locals reported

Amid the unrest, an undocumented foreign national reportedly escaped unharmed after encountering an angry group of marchers on Prixley kaSeme Street. Eyewitnesses described heightened tensions as demonstrators voiced frustration over immigration and alleged exploitation of local resources.

March and March founder Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma addressed the crowd, claiming that many of Durban’s shops were owned by foreigners who were occupying buildings for free. She urged undocumented immigrants to leave the country, likening their presence to colonialism.

Read also

Police release new details on Cape Town Marathon runner shot dead in Johannesburg

“Soon, foreigners will rewrite our history just like colonisers did,” Ngobese-Zuma told thousands of supporters, asserting that illegal immigration threatens South African livelihoods and culture.

See video here:

Herman Mashaba comments

ActionSA leader and Johannesburg mayoral candidate Herman Mashaba joined the rally, criticising government inaction on immigration and unemployment.

“This thing of undocumented foreigners has really been destroying the soul of our country. Our people are suffering. We have 12 million of our own people without jobs, we have the highest unemployment rate in the world

“I don’t understand why the GNU government wants South Africa to play the nanny of the world with undocumented immigrants,” Mashaba said.

Mashaba’s remarks echoed the concerns raised by marchers, emphasising high unemployment, housing shortages, and public frustration over perceived government neglect.

Rising immigration tensions

The rally, coinciding with March and March’s first anniversary, drew members from political parties such as the IFP and MK Party, alongside Operation Dudula supporters. Police maintained a visible presence to manage the crowd and prevent further incidents.

March and March protest against crime in Durban CBD

Read also

ActionSA MP Dereleen James lays intimidation charge against Gayton McKenzie

In related news, civil organisation, March and March, took to the streets to address the rampant crime in Durban. The organisation led a protest in the city on 7 November 2025, and was joined by several political parties and concerned citizens. The demonstration was aimed at urging authorities to act against the rise of illegal foreign nationals and crime in the Durban Central Business District (CBD). The protesters marched to the Point Police Station, where a memorandum was handed over.

Other Briefly articles on March and March

• Briefly News reported that the leader of the March and March Movement, Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma, had to hand herself over to police in Durban on Wednesday morning after learning that officers intend to arrest her for allegedly inciting public violence.
• Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma blamed the government for the death of DJ Warras. Warras was killed in Johannesburg CBD on 16 December 2025. March and March supporters flocked to the streets of Durban, KwaZulu-Natal. The marchers called for justice to be delivered in Warras' case.
• South African podcaster and activist Ntsiki Mazwai weighed in on Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma's March on March movement. Responding to a recent video of Ngobese-Zuma and her supporters protesting against illegal immigrants in Durban, Ntsiki was unsure whether the protest would yield positive results.

Source: Briefly News