SAPS Defends Police Actions During Eviction of 200+ Undocumented Immigrants in Limpopo

• South African Police Service's Captain Vuledzani Dathi emphasizes prioritizing human life over belongings during immigration operations
• Two hundred undocumented immigrants were rounded up and processed in Limpopo province
• The community-led campaign aims to prevent violence against foreign-owned shops
• Briefly News spoke to experts on migration who weighed in on anti-illegal immigration protests

VHEMBE, KWAZULU-NATAL— The Vhembe police spokesperson, Captain Vuledzani Dathi, said the South African Police Service would prioritise human life over the replacement of personal belongings during local operations. He spoke after residents and police officers rounded up and evicted approximately two hundred undocumented immigrants within the Limpopo province on Sunday.

According to GroundUp, Dathi spoke following a community-led immigration campaign on five July 2026 in Vleifontein, Maila and Kanana villages, where Home Affairs officials processed displaced individuals at the Makhado Showgrounds before moving them to Musina. Dathi defended police involvement and stated that maintaining public order and ensuring safety remain the primary responsibility of law enforcement officers who are legally authorised to request citizenship documentation.

Read also

EFF's Sinawo Thambo accuses SAPS of banning foreign nationals from Parliament Village

Captain Vuledzani Dathi defends police actions

Dathi said that working directly with local communities remains key to preventing crime throughout the region. He said that specific allegations regarding immigrants being denied the opportunity to collect their belongings were not yet at their official disposal. The police spokesperson said that personal belongings can always be replaced, but human life cannot.

Dathi said that the police remain committed to securing everyone at temporary repatriation centres near the Beitbridge border and added that while some affected individuals raised concerns over lost clothes and short deadlines during the process, the force remains resolute in prioritising public safety. He concluded that the campaign organised by resident Denzel Ncube aimed to prevent attacks on foreign-owned shops within these local rural target areas.

Briefly News speaks to expert

Dr Serwat and Susanna Deetlefs from ACLED (Armed Conflict Location & Event Data) spoke to Briefly News about the anti-illegal immigration protests.

Read also

More high-profile municipal arrests possible after 4 Ekurhuleni officials appear in court

"Previous waves of anti-migrant demonstrations have drawn support from a range of political parties, civic organisations, labour groups, and anti-immigration movements such as Operation Dudula. The participation of traditional Zulu regiments (Amabutho) during the 30 June demonstrations, and in protests before 30 June, introduces a different dynamic.

"Operating under recognised traditional leadership, these formations are capable of coordinating large numbers of participants and maintaining internal discipline, which can support orderly mobilisation and facilitate engagement with authorities. However, their coordinated presence, together with carrying traditional weapons, heightened tensions and required an enhanced security posture despite demonstrations remaining largely peaceful," they said.

South Africans beg shop owner

In a related article, Briefly News reported about the urgent plea from residents in a South African township for a foreign tuckshop owner to reopen his business following the enforcement of a deadline that has forced many undocumented immigrants to close their shops. The closure has left local communities vulnerable, highlighting their dependence on these small businesses for access to daily essential goods amid rising tensions and protests against foreigners.

Source: Briefly News