By Nontokozo Gemani
- Marchers split at Marikana informal settlement, with some wanting to enter spaza shops and homes to remove foreign nationals.
- Police kept the two groups apart as organisers stepped in to calm tensions and keep the march peaceful.
Tensions rose during a march against illegal immigration in KwaThema on Tuesday when residents clashed over whether to keep marching peacefully or force their way into houses and spaza shops in the Marikana section to search for foreign nationals.
The march started peacefully at Ndaba Three, where residents gathered as part of nationwide demonstrations against illegal immigration. From there, they moved along Valkfontein Road towards Marikana informal settlement, where many spaza shops are run by foreign nationals. Police from EMPD and SAPS monitored the situation throughout.
When the group reached Marikana, one group of marchers wanted to enter the spaza shops and homes where foreign nationals live. They said previous complaints and marches had not solved the issue.
Another group disagreed, saying police should first check traders’ documents and follow legal procedures.
“We want to enter house to house and remove all the foreign nationals because we want them to go and leave us in our country, not this peaceful marching happening,” said KwaThema resident Gugu Ndaba.
Police were forced to keep the two groups apart as the situation threatened to escalate. Organisers also stepped in to calm tensions on both sides.
“We didn’t come here to fight the police. We came here to fight unemployment,” one resident said during the standoff.
A march organiser, who asked not to be named, said the protest follows an earlier KwaThema march on 1 June, led by Nkosikhona Ndabandaba, known as Phakel’umthakathi.
He said residents are frustrated by foreign nationals running businesses and living in the area, competition for jobs, and pressure on local schools. Organisers called on the government to address these concerns.
After leaders and police calmed the situation, the march continued peacefully into Kgaswane Street, with more community members joining as marchers headed towards KwaThema Hostel.
No injuries or property damage were observed during the march.
Pictured above: KwaThema residents march against illegal immigration.
Image source: Nontokozo Gemani
