The March and March movement says it has given the national government until the end of June to address concerns relating to undocumented immigrants in South Africa.
The organisation was among groups that attended an urgent meeting convened by ministers in the Justice, Crime Prevention and Security Cluster to discuss escalating protests linked to immigration and undocumented foreign nationals.
March and March Gauteng convener Sandile Dube said undocumented immigrants were contributing to a range of social and criminal challenges in the country, including drug-related crime.
Dube said the movement believes government is not taking the concerns of South Africans seriously.
“We are concerned perhaps from the Minister of Defence’s remarks that the 30th of June date that we have given to foreign nationals to vacate the country is being viewed as just another shutdown,” Dube said.
“South Africans are saying they have had enough with illegal foreign nationals and they want them removed from this country.”
The movement has also rejected allegations that its demonstrations are supported only by one ethnic group.
Organisers say the campaign has gained support in several provinces, including KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Eastern Cape and Gauteng.
Speaking during a media briefing in Durban, movement representative Sanele Khambule said the organisation’s growth across different provinces demonstrated that it appealed to a broad section of South Africans.
“We wouldn’t be in Limpopo today, we wouldn’t have had successful marches in Johannesburg and Pretoria,” Khambule said.
“We are doing our best to unite South Africans irrespective of race or cultural beliefs towards ending illegal immigration and ensuring that our borders are not porous.”