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Vol 67 No 14

Published 10th July 2026


South Africa

Protests reveal a deeper crisis

Marches against immigration show how trust in the ANC’s ability to govern has eroded, five years after the deadly 2021 riots

When thousands of South Africans marched peacefully on 30 June demanding tighter immigration controls, the biggest story was not the demonstrations – it was the absence of violence. For weeks, the government prepared as though a rerun of the attempted insurrection in July 2021 by supporters of ex-President Jacob Zuma was looming. Police were deployed nationwide, Joint Operational and Intelligence Structures (JOIS) activated plans in every province, Crime Intelligence (CI) increased surveillance and ministers warned of attempts to destabilise the country. The South African Police Service (SAPS) redirected 600 million rand (US$37m) towards operational readiness.

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