Illegal immigrants arrested in Mpumalanga during Abahambe march

MPUMALANGA— The Abahambe movement’s campaign for stricter immigration laws led to the arrest of 14 undocumented immigrants in Emalahleni on 4 June 2026. Authorities made the arrests while conducting compliance checks during a mass anti-illegal immigration demonstration attended by approximately 1,500 people.

According to Sunday World, 14 undocumented immigrants were arrested in Emalahleni. The march began at a park in Vosman at 9 am, then proceeded to the Witbank central business district, where marchers handed a memorandum to the Executive Mayor of the Emalahleni Local Municipality. Police and law-enforcement agencies monitored the procession to ensure public safety as anti-illegal immigration marches continue.

Groups like March and March have embarked on protests across the country, calling for undocumented foreigners to leave the country. This has resulted in African countries like Ghana making provisions to repatriate their citizens.

Abahambe campaign leads to immigrant arrests

Mpumalanga police spokesperson Brigadier Donald Mdhluli said the march unfolded peacefully, with no major incidents. He said officials from the Department of Home Affairs processed foreign nationals encountered during the operation and discovered that 14 lacked valid documentation. The Abahambe campaign has gained traction across several provinces, drawing thousands to public demonstrations.

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Briefly News speaks to expert

Speaking to Briefly News, Professor Loren Landau from Wits University's African Centre for Migration & Society slammed politicians and business owners' roles in the anti-illegal immigration sentiment brewing in the country.

"We know that leaders across the political and business spectrum are complicit in tender deals and other illegal activities. Should they chose to, they could collapse these movements. They are not massive as yet, but appear so because they have effective social media campaigns and monopolise a legacy media landscape that is devoid of resources for independent, critical reporting," he said.

SAPS arrests ilegal immigrants in KZN

In a related article, Briefly News reported that the KwaZulu-Natal South African Police Service arrested illegal immigrants in a recent crackdown. The KwaZulu-Natal provincial government uncovered a syndicate where undocumented foreign nationals lived in RDP houses illegally.

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SAPS arrests 8 896 foreign nationals in 14 days during immigration crackdown

Source: Briefly News