"Not a Tribal Fight”: March and March Denies Targeting Vatsonga

• March and March Movement has denied targeting the Vatsonga Machangana community, saying its campaign is focused only on undocumented and illegal immigration
• The organisation says all South Africans deserve dignity and equal treatment, and has rejected claims that its actions are tribalistic
• The movement has called for unity ahead of the planned 30 June national protest and urged communities not to be divided along ethnic lines

SOUTH AFRICA - The March and March Movement has distanced itself from tribalism and declared its support for theVatsonga Machangana community following a protest held on Thursday, 26 June.

The movement issued a statement on X through its leader, Jacinta Ngobese, saying its campaign is against undocumented and illegal immigration, not against the Vatsonga people or any South African community.

Vatsonga protest against March and March

The statement came after members of the Vatsonga Machangana community marched to the South African Human Rights Commission in Johannesburg. Protesters submitted a memorandum claiming they have been discriminated against, assaulted and repeatedly asked to prove their South African citizenship because of their language and culture.

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The community said many of its members are wrongly mistaken for foreign nationals and called for equal treatment, recognition and protection of their constitutional rights. The protest took place ahead of the March and March Movement's planned nationwide demonstrations against undocumented immigrants on 30 June.

See video of the protest here:

March and March rejects tribalism

Responding to the concerns, the movement stressed that it opposes all forms of discrimination against the Vatsonga people.

"Every South African, regardless of language, ethnicity, culture or place of origin within our country, deserves to live in dignity, equality and equal respect," the statement read.

The movement said its campaign has never been about targeting any South African community and insisted that claims suggesting otherwise are false.

"Such claims are false and serve to create unnecessary divisions amongst our people," the organisation said.

30 June protest 'not directed at Vatsonga'

The movement also reassured the public that its planned national action on 30 June would not target the Vatsonga community or anyone who is legally living in South Africa.

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It maintained that its focus remains on undocumented and illegal immigration, not on tribal or ethnic differences.

The organisation urged South Africans not to allow tribal identity to be used to create conflict.

"We call on all South Africans to reject those who seek to weaponise tribal identity for narrow political or personal interests."

In its closing remarks, the movement invited the Vatsonga Machangana community to join the nationwide protest on 30 June.

"Let us refuse attempts to divide South Africans along tribal or ethnic lines," the statement concluded.

Limpopo woman raises concerns over tribalism

Briefly News reported that a Tsonga content creator has been widely praised on social media after speaking out against tribalism and colourism linked to anti-illegal immigration sentiment. In a TikTok video shared on 1 June 2026, she expressed concern that upcoming march movements could fuel discrimination against communities such as Tsonga and Venda.The creator said she supports action against illegal immigration and crime but warned that targeting people based on accent or complexion is harmful and divisive.

Source: Briefly News