Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma Says Public Services Improved and Crime Decreased After 30 June, SA Reacts

• March and March leader Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma held a press conference in Durban on 3 August 2026 to review the outcomes of the 30 June protests
• Ngobese-Zuma cited improvements in healthcare access, school placements, and crime statistics in areas including the Durban Central District
• South Africans on social media questioned whether the statistics were backed by evidence, with several users pushing back on the claims

Byron Pillay, a Briefly News journalist, has dedicated a decade to reporting on the South African political landscape, crime, and social issues. He worked as a newspaper journalist for 10 years before transitioning to online.

KWAZULU-NATAL - Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma has claimed that there have been measurable improvements in public services and safety following the 30 June protests.

30 June 2026 was the unofficial deadline for undocumented foreign nationals to leave the country, with demonstrations held across the country.

Speaking at a press conference on 3 August 2026 in Durban, before multiple broadcast media microphones, including SABC News and Newzroom Afrika, Ngobese-Zuma outlined several areas where she said conditions had improved since the demonstrations.

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Ngobese-Zuma claims healthcare and education gains were made

On healthcare, Ngobese-Zuma said the departure of undocumented migrants had freed up resources at clinics and hospitals, allowing South African patients to receive faster attention from healthcare workers. She also referenced concerns raised late last year by parents struggling to secure school placements for their children, linking those pressures to migration.

On crime, she pointed to a reported reduction of over 28% in the Durban Central District, attributing the decline to a combination of CBD clean-up operations, increased police visibility, and the closure of what she described as illegal businesses.

Social media users react

@FollowMakhi wrote:

"True, even in clinics there are no long queues now. Thank you."

@JoelNcube5 challenged the crime figures directly:

"How has crime declined when 172 people were killed in two weeks in Westbury in Cape Town?"

@NelsonWabantu dismissed the claims entirely:

"Giving statistics without proof. She lost relevance ever since 30 June."

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@SekesM summarised the scepticism:

"Source: Trust me, bro."

@zakhele_mboyane asked:

"Did you ask her to provide proof?"

Ngobese-Zuma questions how Chidimma Adetshina returned to the country

Briefly News also highlighted facts about Ngobese-Zuma's questioning of Chidimma Adetshina's return to South Africa following a reported ban by the Department of Home Affairs.

The public backlash included concerns regarding the legality of her presence in the country and raised unsettling questions about the efficacy of immigration regulations.

Source: Briefly News