South Africa’s anti-immigration movement, March and March, has announced plans to intensify its nationwide protests following the death of one of its leaders, Andile Mvuyelwa Somgxada.
According to the movement, Somgxada was shot outside his home in Greenfields, Ekurhuleni, on July 4, 2026. He was taken to the hospital but died from his injuries on July 9, five days after the attack.
The group described the killing as an assassination and said his death would not stop its campaign. Instead, it pledged to continue and strengthen demonstrations calling for stricter action against undocumented immigrants in South Africa. 
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The national spokesman, Sandile Dube described Somgxada as a dedicated, peace-loving, and truly patriotic South African.
Dube said this killing comes at a time when several other leaders in the March and March movement have received warnings and death threats. According to him, the threats are coming from people who are allegedly profiting from extorting undocumented foreign nationals and collecting “protection fees” from their illegal businesses.
“This seems like an orchestrated hitman type of killing,” Dube told the BBC.
March and March has been at the center of a wave of anti-immigration protests across the country in recent months. The movement argues that illegal immigration contributes to unemployment, crime, and pressure on public services. It has called on authorities to enforce immigration laws more strictly and remove undocumented migrants.
However, the protests have drawn widespread criticism. Human rights organizations and government officials have warned that some demonstrations have led to intimidation, violence, and attacks on foreign nationals. Authorities have condemned any form of vigilantism and urged citizens to allow law enforcement agencies to handle immigration issues.
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Police have launched an investigation into Somgxada’s killing. The police chief, Lt Gen Puleng Dimpane, has announced a multidisciplinary team to investigate the shooting, but no official motive or suspects have been announced.
The incident has further heightened tensions surrounding immigration in South Africa, with many watching to see how the planned protests unfold in the coming week.
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