"Nothing Will Move":Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma Gives Government 3 Months or Face 'Real' National Shutdown

• March and March leader Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma says the government has three months to respond to the movement's demands or face what she calls a "real" national shutdown
• She said the 30 June demonstrations were never intended to shut down the country and marked the start of a three-month campaign featuring weekly protests
• Ngobese-Zuma insisted the movement's protests are meant to remain peaceful while calling on the government to act against illegal immigration

SOUTH AFRICA - The leader of the March and March anti-illegal immigration movement, Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma, has warned that South Africa could face a "real" national shutdown if the government does not respond to the group's demands within the next three months.

Speaking to supporters in Zulu during the 30 June protests, Ngobese-Zuma said the demonstrations held across the country were never meant to be a national shutdown. Instead, she described them as the beginning of a three-month campaign aimed at putting pressure on the government.

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Jacinta issues warning to government

According to reports by BusinessTech, Ngobese-Zuma said the government had prepared for a national shutdown on 30 June, but that was never the movement's plan.

She said March and March would hold weekly protests over the next three months. However, she warned that if the government failed to respond to their demands, the movement would organise what she called a "real" national shutdown.

"If the government doesn't answer us, then there will be a shutdown," she said, adding that it would be a shutdown "where nothing will move."

See post from Businesstech here:

June 30 protests were not meant to shut down the country

Before the nationwide demonstrations, Ngobese-Zuma repeatedly said the movement had never announced 30 June as a national shutdown. She questioned why there had been warnings from government and widespread media reports suggesting the country would grind to a halt.

She also accused the government of creating unnecessary fear ahead of the protests.

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Ngobese-Zuma maintained that the marches were intended to remain peaceful. She said the movement wanted to work with police by highlighting areas where criminal activity and illegal immigration were allegedly taking place.

She insisted that the demonstrations were never meant to turn violent or lead to looting.

March and March continues anti-illegal immigration campaign

March and March was founded by Ngobese-Zuma in March 2025 following an earlier anti-illegal immigration protest called "March in March."

The movement has since organised more than 100 demonstrations across South Africa and attracted thousands of supporters.

Its campaign has focused on calling for stronger action against illegal immigration, including its demand that undocumented foreign nationals leave South Africa by 30 June 2026.

Fikile Mbalula says June 30 shutdown failed

In related news, Fikile Mbalula declared that the 30 June national shutdown, organised by the group March and March, had not succeeded. The African National Congress (ANC) Secretary-General credited South Africans and security forces for keeping the country running. Speaking at a formal ANC press briefing, Mbalula said the day had passed without the country grinding to a halt.

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Jacinta vows to hold wekly protests

Previously, Briefly News reported that Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma has vowed that protests would be held every Thursday, as some illegal immigrants did not leave the country. The March and March leader made the comments in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, where she addressed the crowds on 30 June, the unofficial deadline for foreigners to leave the country. Anti-illegal immigration marches have been held across the country, as many South Africans blame foreigners for the crime and unemployment in the country.

Source: Briefly News