A special police unit has begun probing the murder of Andile Mvuyelwa Somgxada, the Gauteng province leader of the anti‑migrant protest group March and March.
Somgxada was shot outside his home east of Johannesburg and died a few days later in hospital.
March and March spokesperson Sandile Dube told the BBC that the killing was retaliation for the movement’s campaign to get undocumented migrants to leave the country. "We feel targeted because of our campaign to get undocumented migrants to leave the country," he said.
Dube says other leaders of March and March have received warnings or death threats, describing the situation as an "orchestrated hit‑man type of killing" and urging authorities to investigate the intimidation the organization faces.
"The law applies equally to everyone. No individual or group has the authority to conduct immigration inspections, verify legal status, or remove people from communities," said acting police commissioner Lt Gen Puleng Dimpane.
Acting police chief Puleng Dimpane announced a multidisciplinary investigation into the shooting, emphasizing that the service treats the case with seriousness and a commitment to accountability.
South Africa’s immigration debate is heated, with the government citing over 53,000 foreign nationals deported under a "migration management" campaign, and xenophobic violence continuing in the wake of protests. The anti‑migrant movement’s unofficial deadline of 30 June for undocumented migrants to leave the country has sparked weekly marches and further tension."
