Ella Gandhi, 86, Joins Human Shield for Congolese Refugees as Durban Protest Turns Violent

• Anti-apartheid activist Ella Gandhi, 86, joined a human shield protecting Congolese refugees during a tense demonstration on Che Guevara Street in Durban on 10 September 2026
• March and March demonstrators demanded the removal of Congolese nationals who have been camping on Moore Road for four months after being displaced
• Gandhi spoke out against the treatment of migrants and raised concerns about the impact of the unrest on South Africa's tourism and economy

DURBAN — Anti-apartheid activist Ella Gandhi, 86, positioned herself as part of a human shield protecting Congolese refugees during a volatile protest in Durban on 10 September 2026, as stones were thrown at the crowd gathered on Che Guevara Street.

The demonstration was organised by the group March and March, which has demanded the removal of Congolese nationals camping on Moore Road. Those refugees have been living at the site for approximately four months after being displaced following a broader national call for undocumented foreign nationals to leave South Africa.

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Gandhi calls for urgent government action

Speaking to Eyewitness News at the scene, Gandhi said the government needed to act without delay to provide shelter and security for the displaced people and to clarify how South Africa intended to manage migration.

"Something needs to be done very urgently by our government in order to provide shelter and security for these people and decide on how South Africa is going to deal with the issues of migration of foreign people coming here," Gandhi said.

She also linked the unrest to its potential economic consequences. Gandhi noted she was preparing to attend a webinar on South African tourism at the time of the interview and questioned whether the country could realistically attract visitors while such scenes were unfolding publicly.

"Can I really ask tourists to come when this sort of behaviour is being witnessed? It just shows that the economy will get worse if we tolerate this kind of unruly behaviour," she said.

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Colleague injured by stone thrown at crowd

Gandhi drew a distinction between the conduct of those defending the refugees and the protesters demanding their removal. She said those on her side had marched peacefully and without weapons, while stones were thrown into the crowd by others present. One of her colleagues sustained an injury from a stone hurled during the confrontation. Gandhi indicated that the injured woman had collected several of the stones thrown at the crowd as evidence of what occurred.

Watch Gandhi speak outside the Durban protest site:

Congolese man arrested during protest

In a related article, Briefly News reported on a foreign national’s arrest after a police officer was struck by a stone during a confrontation outside Durban’s Home Affairs office. The clash involved March and March members and Congolese refugees who had been camped at the Umbilo site for three months.

Source: Briefly News