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Anti-migrant protests risk economic blowback for South Africa

Frustrations over unemployment, crime and years of weak growth are driving South Africa's anti-migrant protests. But economists warn that the departure of thousands of foreign workers could end up hurting the very businesses and labour markets that anti-migrant campaigners say they are trying to protect.

Anti-migrant sentiment has surged in recent months, culminating in a nationwide march on June 30. Although the protests were largely peaceful, fears of violence have prompted thousands of African migrants to leave South Africa.

Their departure could create labour shortages in businesses that have long relied on foreign workers - from construction sites and farms to delivery services and corner shops - while also undermining the country's vast informal economy.

"Migrants typically find work in sectors where vacancies are difficult to fill, including farming, construction, hospitality, retail, transport and the informal sector," Mpho Lenoke, a lecturer at North-West University, said.

According to United Nations data, some 2.6 million migrants called South Africa their home in 2024 - around 5% of the population. While recent data on their economic contribution is limited, OECD-ILO estimates from 2018 based on 2010 modelling put their GDP contribution at 9%.

"Many foreign nationals are starting businesses that employ South Africans and bring competition, which is good for consumers," said Lenoke. "International experience suggests that restrictions on migrant labour often have unintended economic consequences."

The protests have already caused disruption in parts of the retail sector.

Foreign-owned spaza shops — informal convenience stores that operate from makeshift stalls, garages or shipping containers — are a key feature of South Africa's informal economy, supporting wholesalers, landlords and local employees.

Sixty60 — the grocery delivery platform of Africa's largest food retailer Shoprite Group — faced disruptions during the latest protests. Company data shows fewer than a quarter of its drivers were South African.

BUILDING MOMENTUM

South Africa's anti-migrant movement has been building for years as the country grapples with weak growth.

The World Bank in June cut its 2026 growth forecast for South Africa to 1.0% from 1.4%, while Statistics South Africa reported an unemployment rate of nearly one third in the first quarter, leaving 8.1-million people without work.

Those conditions have helped fuel resentment towards migrants. However, a study by the UN's International Labour Organization using labour force survey data found that as immigrant participation in the workforce increases, employment opportunities for South African-born workers also rise.

Protests can also disrupt economic activity through looting and business closures, said Susanna Deetlefs of ACLED.

"Supply chains are disrupted, jobs are lost, and access to goods and services is curtailed when tensions escalate," she said.

BEYOND BORDERS

Investors have so far reacted calmly, but say the protests add a new risk factor.

"It is a significant social problem in South Africa that investors keep hearing about, but they actually haven't seen an actual real-life impact of it," said Kaan Nazli, emerging markets debt portfolio manager at Neuberger Berman. "Now, with these protests, this is a risk."

The stakes extend beyond South Africa, the region's main source of remittances and largest host of working-age migrants, according to data from the ILO.

A joint FinMark Trust and South African Reserve Bank report found remittance outflows more than tripled between 2016 and 2024 to more than R19-billion ($1.16-billion) in 2024.

Nearly 90% of transfers to southern Africa went to Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique and Zimbabwe, with Zimbabwe receiving more than 60% of the total.

EFF demands immediate public release of Madlanga Commission's first, second interim reports

The EFF is demanding the immediate, public release of the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry's first and second interim reports, criticising the Presidency's secrecy and its handling of the commission's deadline extensions.

The party has called for the publication of both the interim reports submitted to President Cyril Ramaphosa. The party stipulated that these releases should only be subject to redactions strictly necessary to protect witnesses, ongoing criminal investigations, or legitimate national security concerns.

The Presidency announced a second extension for the inquiry, shifting the final report submission deadline from August 31 to November 16.

Presidency spokesperson Vincent Magwenya explained that the timeline sets an evidence deadline of October 2, enabling the commission to close off topics explored during public hearings.

However, the EFF expressed frustration over a perceived lack of transparency. While acknowledging that the inquiry has uncovered troubling evidence of criminal syndicates infiltrating South Africa's justice and security systems, the party condemned the lack of clarity regarding how much additional time or resources the commission genuinely requires.

The party highlighted ongoing secrecy surrounding the findings, noting that both interim documents remain hidden from the public despite their far-reaching recommendations.

The first interim report, submitted in December 2025, contained recommendations that immediately resulted in referrals for criminal investigations, prosecutorial consideration, and administrative action against implicated individuals, while in the second interim report, submitted in May 2026, the Presidency acknowledged that it also contains recommendations requiring urgent prosecutorial and investigative action.

The EFF maintained that the inquiry belongs to the people of South Africa and that its findings are matters of constitutional integrity rather than private presidential correspondence.

Meanwhile, despite concerns over internal police vetting delays, RISE Mzansi welcomed the decision by the President to grant a requested timeline extension for the Madlanga Commission.

The party believes the extra time is crucial to allow the Commission and the Parliamentary Ad Hoc Committee to thoroughly complete their mandates without cutting corners.

However, the political party remains vigilant, noting that a timeline extension must be paired with rapid, decisive implementation on the ground to restore public trust in the country's police force.

RISE Mzansi National Assembly Chief Whip Makashule Gana has issued a stern warning following revelations from the ongoing Madlanga Commission, stating that criminal networks have deeply infiltrated the highest ranks of the South African Police Service.

While acknowledging a recent parliamentary update from Acting Minister of Police Firoz Cachalia regarding lifestyle audits and re-vetting, Gana criticised the sluggish pace of execution, pointing out that the process has been inexcusably slow since its initial announcement by the President.

"The rot is deeper," Gana explained. "We need action now, not more delays, and we call on the vetting authorities to treat this with the absolute urgency it demands."

Hill-Lewis demands permanent Police Minister amid national crime crisis

DA leader Geordin Hill-Lewis has requested President Cyril Ramaphosa to urgently appoint a permanent Minister of Police, warning that the country cannot fight the perpetual crime crisis with temporary leadership.

In a formal letter addressed to the President on Friday, Hill-Lewis emphasised that South Africa cannot afford ongoing leadership uncertainty within the South African Police Service.

The demand comes at a time when murder, extortion, gang violence, infrastructure sabotage, and organised crime continue to inflict deep harm on both local communities and the national economy.

In July last year, Ramaphosa appointed Firoz Cachalia to replace Senzo Mchunu, who was placed on an immediate leave of absence.

Mchunu's suspension followed serious allegations of corruption, political interference, and malfeasance raised by KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi.

Mkhwanazi specifically accused Mchunu of unilaterally disbanding the Political Killings Task Team and redirecting 121 active investigation dockets to the office of National Deputy Commissioner Lieutenant-General Shadrack Sibiya, where they were allegedly neutralised.

Speaking during the DA's march demanding urgent action against violent crime in Nelson Mandela Bay, Hill-Lewis pointed out that this weekend marks exactly one year since Cachalia's temporary appointment.

"A whole year where two Ministers are being paid for the work of one," Hill-Lewis told the crowd. "The suspended Minister of Police [Mchunu] is still getting his salary of over R2.6-million while he sits at home. With that money, we could employ eight more detectives full-time."

Hill-Lewis highlighted the severe operational consequences of this financial waste. In a country where thousands of criminals walk free due to poorly investigated cases, the DA leader stressed that every single resource matters.

"Eight new detectives mean more criminals behind bars and off our streets," Hill-Lewis argued. "South Africa needs leadership, authority, and accountability in the middle of a national crime crisis. You cannot fight permanent crime with temporary leadership."

The DA leader noted that systemic reforms within the police service are impossible without a stable, long-term political head.

"You cannot rebuild crime intelligence, fix broken police stations, support detectives, restore discipline in SAPS, and clean up corruption in law enforcement if the person responsible for doing it does not have a clear, permanent mandate," Hill-Lewis said.

Hill-Lewis said whoever serves in this position must have a clear and permanent mandate to rebuild crime intelligence, strengthen visible policing, support detectives, improve forensic capacity, restore discipline in SAPS, and clean up corruption within the criminal justice system.

He emphasised that a permanent Minister must also be given clear performance targets and be held publicly accountable for progress.

"South Africans deserve to know who is responsible, what is being done, and by when results will be delivered," he said.

'ANC neglect' collapsing SA's foreign service assets – DA

The DA has on Thursday fiercely condemned the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (Dirco) following the sudden, unannounced closure of the South African High Commission to the UK this week.

Located at the iconic South Africa House in London's Trafalgar Square, the building has reportedly deteriorated to an unworkable state owing to decades of systemic neglect under the ANC government, the party said.

DA spokesperson on International Relations and Cooperation Ryan Smith revealed that the closure follows severe operational disruptions that made the historic property completely uninhabitable for diplomatic staff.

He highlighted water issues, climate failure, sanitation collapse and structural decay.

Repairs to rescue the London property are now estimated to cost South African taxpayers just under R70-million. The DA noted that this entire financial burden could have been avoided had Dirco implemented a regular maintenance framework for the country's prime international property portfolio.

The crisis at Trafalgar Square is not an isolated incident. Smith highlighted a similar collapse at the South African Embassy in The Hague, Netherlands.

He noted the Hague closure, for nearly a year now, under the guise of "repairs". He explained that local observation confirms no scaffolding has been erected and no construction workers have accessed the site. Smith said South African foreign service staff remain stranded in a temporary location.

This follows an oversight visit by the DA to the crumbling Netherlands facility in November 2025.

According to the DA, these decaying international properties serve as global symbols of local State failure, mirroring the broken infrastructure seen across ANC-managed municipalities at home.

The DA directly blamed International Relations and Cooperation Minister Ronald Lamola for siphoning critical funds away from asset maintenance and professional consular staffing. Instead, the party alleges Dirco continues to exhaust its budget on expensive international litigation and millions in humanitarian aid to political allies like Cuba.

This operational decay is confirmed in official State oversight findings. The sudden closure of South Africa House corroborates the Auditor-General's 2024/25 Budgetary Review and Recommendations Report, which officially regressed Dirco's audit outcomes owing to mismanaged foreign assets rendering key State properties entirely "uninhabitable".

As a partner in the Government of National Unity, the DA has distanced itself from these failures, criticising the ANC's subversion of the nation's foreign service.

"If Dirco is the outward face of the South African government abroad, then it is wrinkled, haggard, and decrepit. Our perception abroad is surely not much different," said Smith.

The DA continues to demand an immediate reprioritisation of Dirco's budget to safeguard the country's remaining foreign assets and rebuild a professional, functional diplomatic corps.

Ramaphosa heads to France for high-level talks

President Cyril Ramaphosa is embarking on a three-day official working visit to France to advance global education reform, strengthen bilateral ties, and honour fallen South African soldiers.

The visit features high-level diplomatic engagements with French President Emmanuel Macron and a key leadership role at a gathering at United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation headquarters.

Ramaphosa will co-chair the leaders' meeting of the Unesco High-Level Steering Committee on Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4) on Quality Education, at the invitation of Unesco director-general Khaled El-Enany.

Presidential spokesperson Vincent Magwenya noted that South Africa's appointment highlights the nation's rising authority in global education governance and international confidence in its ability to push for equitable, inclusive, quality education.

The HLSC meeting is expected to endorse the global education agenda priorities for 2026/27, focusing on strengthening the teaching profession, advancing foundational and lifelong learning, promoting inclusive digital transformation and ensuring sustainable financing for education.

Following the HLSC session, Ramaphosa will participate in the Transforming Education Summit +4 Stocktake. Convened by the UN and Unesco, the summit evaluates global progress made since the initial 2022 Transforming Education Summit. The objective is to establish priority actions required to accelerate the achievement of the 2030 targets for SDG 4.

Ramaphosa will travel to the village of Longueval in northern France to attend the 110th commemoration of the Battle of Delville Wood. Held at the South African National Memorial, the event honours the bravery and sacrifice of South African soldiers who fought during the First World War.

Ramaphosa is accompanied by a delegation of senior Cabinet Ministers, including First Lady Dr Tshepo Motsepe; Minister of International Relations Ronald Lamola; Minister of Defence and Military Veterans Angie Motshekga, Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure Dean MacPherson; Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture Gayton MacKenzie and Minister of Higher Education and Training Buti Manamela.

Ramaphosa extends Madlanga Commission deadline to November

President Cyril Ramaphosa has extended the final report deadline for the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry into Criminality, Political Interference, and Corruption in the Criminal Justice System.

The commission is now scheduled to submit its final report on November 16, shifting from the originally anticipated date of August 31.

Spokesperson to the President Vincent Magwenya explained that the extension granted by Ramaphosa sets an evidence deadline of October 2, and a reporting deadline of November 16, to enable the commission to close off topics it has opened up in the course of hearings to date.

Magwenya explained that without this additional time, large parts of the crucial investigation would remain unfinished. The extension ensures that the commission can adequately hear evidence on every matter listed in its official terms of reference.

Ramaphosa established the Inquiry in July last year. The decision followed explosive whistleblowing claims by KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner, Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi. Mkhwanazi exposed severe criminal networks infiltrating South African law enforcement agencies.

Ramaphosa expressed his deepest appreciation for the ongoing work of the commission. He also commended law enforcement agencies for actively following up on the vital testimony emerging from the hearings.

DA to lead massive anti-crime march in Nelson Mandela Bay

DA leader Geordin Hill-Lewis will on Friday spearhead what is anticipated to be the largest anti-crime demonstration in Nelson Mandela Bay's recent history.

The mobilisation comes as communities across South Africa grapple with a deepening and violent crime crisis. Organised under a unified "Catch, Convict, and Clean-up" agenda, the DA is demanding urgent federal intervention to protect citizens living in constant fear.

The march will proceed from the corner of Aubrey road and Amelia street in Bridge Haven, Gelvan Park, Gqeberha, and conclude at the SAPS 10111 Centre in Schauderville.

Hill-Lewis is expected to use the platform to deliver a serious, national demand directly to President Cyril Ramaphosa. Central to the party's platform is a call to overhaul the centralised policing model.

The DA argues that concentrating law enforcement power in Pretoria leaves local metros poorly equipped to handle localised gang violence and gender-based violence.

Hill-Lewis will advocate for decentralised policing powers and the passage of the SAPS Amendment Bill to allow capable provincial and local governments to run localised crime-busting units.

He will be joined by DA federal chairperson Solly Msimanga, DA Eastern Cape provincial leader Andrew Whitfield, DA Eastern Cape provincial chairperson Yusuf Cassim, DA Deputy Chief Whip in the National Assembly Bax Nodada, DA Nelson Mandela Bay Mayoral candidate Retief Odendaal and DA Eastern Cape provincial spokesperson Georgina Faldtman.

The metro has experienced an escalation in localised crime and civil unrest over the past several months, including notable gang-related violence in Gqeberha's Northern Areas.

MKP, EFF reject Treasury's 'punitive' R13.5b municipal funding freeze

The MKP and the EFF have strongly condemned the National Treasury's decision to temporarily withhold R13.5-billion in local government equitable share transfers from 69 non-compliant municipalities.

The freeze impacts major municipalities and local authorities across all nine provinces, including the City of Johannesburg, Mangaung, Buffalo City, Nelson Mandela Bay, Madibeng, and Nkomazi.

Both opposition parties argued that withholding vital funds shifts the burden of municipal maladministration onto ordinary citizens while worsening service delivery failures.

MKP national spokesperson Sifiso Mahlangu warned that blanket financial pressure fails to fix systemic local governance issues.

He stressed that uniform penalties are inherently inequitable because the current funding model sets municipalities up to fail.

"Yes, municipalities must be held accountable, and yes, public money must be protected from waste, irregularity, and abuse. But blanket financial pressure is not a solution, and the current funding model and equitable share formula often means that municipalities start from unequal positions of fiscal capacity," said Mahlangu.

The MKP argued that the State should target the specific individuals responsible for financial failures rather than punishing residents.

The party called for decisive disciplinary action and criminal referrals for corrupt officials, direct forensic investigations to recover lost public funds and a complete overhaul of the equitable share system to account for poverty burdens, dispersed settlements, and historical infrastructure backlogs.

Mahlangu noted that suspending transfers to struggling regions does not correct misconduct. Instead, it worsens local instability and deepens an already uneven baseline of service delivery.

The EFF levelled heavy criticism at both the ANC and DA for their persistent mismanagement of local government.

Citing figures from the Auditor-General, the EFF highlighted that municipalities have racked up R145.21-billion in irregular expenditure since the 2021/22 financial year, with R40.14-billion wasted in 2024/25 alone, alongside R24.12-billion in fruitless and wasteful expenditure.

While the EFF acknowledged that many local authorities have collapsed, it rejected National Treasury's intervention strategy.

The party stated that "municipalities have failed the people, and now the National Treasury is doing the same".

To resolve the fiscal crisis permanently, the EFF proposed the revision of the equitable share formula to boost the municipal allocation to over 15% of nationally raised revenue, up from the current 9% (R110-billion).

The party wants dedicated infrastructure grant technical units in all municipalities to oversee and coordinate large-scale development projects funded by conditional grants.

It also called for the implementation of well-regulated, non-profiteering public-private partnerships to deliver community assets without inflating costs or producing low-quality work.

Both opposition parties maintained that the solution to South Africa's local government crisis is not providing less money, but fundamentally reworking the fiscal assumptions that govern municipalities.

The EFF demanding that the Finance Minister, provincial MECs, executive mayors, and municipal managers must cooperate immediately to design measurable, constructive steps to stabilise local government finances without cutting off the public's lifeline.

Meanwhile, The Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs has urged struggling municipalities to meet National Treasury conditions immediately to secure vital funds and protect local communities.

Committee chairperson Dr Zweli Mkhize demanded immediate consequences for councillors and managers who mismanage public resources.

He urged municipal leaders to eliminate unfunded budgets, address poor audit outcomes, and build stable administr...

Nkabane appointed acting chairperson of Agriculture Committee

The Portfolio Committee on Agriculture has officially elected Dr Nobuhle Nkabane as its acting chairperson, invoking Rule 159 of the National Assembly Rules to ensure stable leadership.

The position became vacant after President Cyril Ramaphosa appointed former committee chairperson Dina Pule to the Cabinet as the Social Development Minister.

The committee moved swiftly to elect an acting head to maintain continuity in its intensive oversight work. This interim appointment allows the committee to fulfil its constitutional responsibilities without delay while political structures finalise the election of a permanent chairperson.

Following the vote, Nkabane thanked fellow committee members for their confidence and pledged to work collaboratively across party lines to advance the legislative programme.

She indicated that one of the committee's immediate priorities would be preparations for upcoming engagements on South Africa's response to the foot-and-mouth disease outbreak. These include planned interactions with stakeholders aimed at safeguarding South Africa's livestock sector and protecting agricultural trade.

Committee members praised the constructive, bipartisan manner in which the election process was conducted.

The delegation reaffirmed its broader, ongoing commitment to intensify oversight on public agricultural spending, support the growth and economic inclusion of developing farmers and to ensure strict compliance in the implementation of State-funded agricultural programmes.

ActionSA escalates Phala Phala battle, accuses SAPS of shielding Ramaphosa

ActionSA has officially approached the Information Regulator in a bid to force the release of crucial Phala Phala evidence that it believes could implicate President Cyril Ramaphosa in perjury.

This escalation follows the rejection of the party's Promotion of Access to Information Act applications and subsequent appeals by the South African Police Service.

In June, ActionSA submitted a PAIA application to the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, requesting access to the official affidavit signed by Ramaphosa following the cash theft at his Limpopo game farm and the financial records of Imanuwela David, the alleged mastermind behind the heist.

The legal bid was triggered by National Prosecuting Authority court disclosures revealing that David's financial records showed transactions exceeding R15-million.

This figure vastly contradicts the R8.7-million ($580 000) that Ramaphosa initially declared as stolen.

ActionSA national chairperson Michael Beaumont stated that the financial trail raises a strong prospect that the actual amount stolen was significantly higher than what was publicly declared.

The SAPS blocked ActionSA's information request, alleging the party intended to use the documentation to pursue a criminal case and that the requested documents form part of ongoing civil proceedings.

Beaumont firmly rejected these justifications, labelling them "unlawful and factually" incorrect.

He argued that the records are vital public documents directly tied to the public interest. After SAPS dismissed ActionSA's formal internal appeal, the party took the matter to the Information Regulator.

ActionSA believes the requested documents will expose systemic deception at the highest level of government.

"If these documents prove ... that the President declared a loss of only R8.7-million while the NPA has documents pointing to a far greater amount, it will demonstrate that the President misled the nation, breached his oath of office, defrauded law enforcement agencies, and acted in contravention of the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act," Beaumont warned.

The party contends that State institutions have consistently acted as a shield for the President. Beaumont pointed to the Independent Police Investigative Directorate report into the Presidential Protection Unit, which ActionSA successfully forced into the open in April, as proof of State entities prioritising the President over the public interest.

Furthermore, ActionSA expressed deep scepticism over the parliamentary Impeachment Committee tasked with investigating the President's conduct. The committee is currently chaired by the ANC's nominated Government of National Unity partner, which the opposition views as a conflict of interest.

Reflecting on its political positioning, ActionSA used the moment to draw a sharp line between itself and other opposition parties that joined the multi-party GNU.

Beaumont emphasised that ActionSA deliberately declined Cabinet seats to avoid being co-opted into silence. He vowed that the party would maintain its aggressive oversight role and use every legal avenue to deliver the hidden documents directly to the Impeachment Committee.