Police Form Human Barricade in Durban to Separate Immigration Protesters From Foreign Nationals
- Armed officers physically separated anti-illegal immigration protesters from foreign nationals camped on Moore Road in Durban on Thursday
- March and March movement leader Jacinta Ngobese Zuma called supporters to assemble at the site, which has become a recurring flashpoint in the city
- The movement announced plans to stage weekly protests every Thursday until the government acts on undocumented foreign nationals
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DURBAN — Law enforcement officers formed a shield-bearing human barricade on Moore Road on Thursday, 11 September 2026, physically positioning themselves between anti-illegal immigration demonstrators and hundreds of foreign nationals gathered at the same location.
The police deployment followed a call by March and March movement leader Jacinta Ngobese Zuma, who summoned supporters to assemble on Moore Road, which runs outside the Department of Home Affairs Refugee Reception Office. Tactical personnel were deployed to prevent any direct contact between the two groups after recent events raised the risk of renewed violence.
Violence preceded the Durban standoff
The Moore Road flashpoint did not emerge in isolation. An earlier "clean-up" operation conducted by the movement on Che Guevara Road deteriorated into violent clashes that left several people injured and resulted in multiple arrests. That confrontation prompted authorities to take a more structured approach to crowd control ahead of Thursday's demonstration.
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Movement vows weekly protests
Ngobese Zuma used the occasion to push back against characterisations of the movement's activities as xenophobic. She challenged what she described as a double standard in how municipal authorities apply the law, arguing that if foreign nationals are permitted to occupy public streets in organised camps under the watch of non-governmental organisations, South African citizens should be afforded comparable tolerance.
The movement confirmed it intends to return to Moore Road every Thursday, maintaining pressure on government officials to take concrete enforcement action against undocumented foreign nationals. Ngobese Zuma indicated the weekly demonstrations would continue until authorities respond with what the group considers decisive intervention.
Foreign nationals have been camped along Moore Road in significant numbers, with the Refugee Reception Office serving as a focal point for asylum seekers and migrants navigating the country's immigration system.
The standoff in Durban forms part of a broader national conversation around immigration enforcement that has intensified across South Africa in recent months, with demonstrations recorded in multiple cities ahead of government deadlines related to undocumented foreign nationals.
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No extra budget for 30 September march
In a related article, Briefly News reported on the South African Police Service’s decision not to allocate additional funds for the 30 September anti-migrant protests. Deputy National Police Commissioner Tebello Mosikili said existing operational resources would be used to manage the demonstrations.
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Source: Briefly News
