Africa-Press – South-Africa. A special police team has begun investigating the murder of a regional leader of an anti-immigration group in South Africa. The police confirmed that Andile Mavulu Somgxada, leader of the “March and March” movement in Gauteng province, was shot in front of his home east of Johannesburg and died several days later in the hospital.
Sandile Dubi, spokesperson for the “March and March” movement, stated, “This is a retaliatory act,” explaining that the movement believes he was targeted due to its campaign urging illegal immigrants to leave the country.
He added that other leaders in the “March and March” movement, which organizes anti-immigration protests across the country, have recently received warnings or death threats.
Dubi said, “It appears to be a planned killing,” urging authorities to uncover the circumstances of the case and investigate the intimidation faced by the organization. The acting police chief, General Poling Demban, announced the formation of a multidisciplinary team to investigate the shooting incident, emphasizing that this highlights the seriousness with which the agency is treating the case. She stated in a press release, “We are committed to conducting a thorough investigation to uncover the circumstances of this crime and ensure that the perpetrators are held accountable.”
The issue of illegal immigration has become a politically contentious topic in South Africa, with protesters accusing it of putting pressure on public services, as well as being involved in crime.
The “March and March” campaign had set an informal deadline of June 30 for all illegal immigrants to leave the country. Protesters have pledged to organize weekly marches until their demands are met.
The South African government has deported or repatriated more than 53,000 foreigners to their home countries since launching the “Immigration Management” campaign five weeks ago. Xenophobia has long been a problem in South Africa, the richest country in Africa, which has often attracted migrants seeking better economic opportunities. This has sometimes led to violence, and the recent round of protests has seen acts of violence, intimidation, and looting.
On Tuesday, five individuals were arrested in Limpopo province for impersonating immigration officers and unlawfully demanding that foreigners leave the country.
The police reported that the incident involved a Nigerian citizen—who was legally residing in South Africa—being intimidated and forced to close his shop by the suspects.
When asked about the treatment of some foreigners by anti-immigration protesters, Dubi stated that the “March and March” movement rejects “any form of violence—we reject any form of lawlessness.”
There are more than three million registered foreigners in South Africa, according to official statistics, not including those residing in the country illegally.
Several countries, including Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria, and Uganda, have organized flights or buses for their citizens to return home in recent weeks.
On Wednesday, the last flight organized by the Nigerian government under the voluntary return program took off, landing in Lagos with 306 passengers on board. More than 1,200 Nigerians have returned so far under this program.
