President Cyril Ramaphosa has warned that authorities will act decisively against anyone attempting to destabilise the country during planned anti-illegal immigration demonstrations scheduled for 30 June.
Speaking in the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) on Thursday, Ramaphosa said law enforcement agencies were fully prepared to maintain public order and would not tolerate violence or criminality under the guise of protest.
"We will not tolerate any attempts to destabilise the country by anyone, whether marching or otherwise," the President said.
"Our security forces are ready, and those who transgress the measures that we are putting in place will definitely meet the might of the law."
The warning comes as several citizen-led groups prepare for nationwide demonstrations after setting 30 June as an unofficial deadline for undocumented foreign nationals to leave South Africa.
The planned protests follow months of anti-illegal immigration demonstrations, some of which have turned violent, raising concerns about a possible resurgence of xenophobic attacks.
In response, the South African Police Service (SAPS) has announced heightened security measures across the country, while government officials have intensified engagements with community leaders and key stakeholders, including the Zulu Royal House, in an effort to promote calm and prevent violence.
South Africa has remained on edge following weeks of unrest linked to anti-migrant sentiment, with official reports indicating that at least three people have died during recent incidents. Mozambican authorities, however, have reported that five of their nationals were among those killed.
The demonstrations have also prompted thousands of undocumented migrants from countries including Ghana, Malawi, Mozambique and Nigeria to voluntarily return home.
Temporary holding sites have been established in Durban and Johannesburg, where thousands of foreign nationals are awaiting transport to their respective countries. Humanitarian organisations have warned that the growing number of displaced people is placing significant strain on available resources and could lead to a worsening humanitarian crisis.
Ramaphosa reiterated that the government's priority is to ensure that 30 June remains a normal working day.
"We are taking measures to ensure that the 30th becomes a normal day where people will be able to work and go about their business," he said.
South Africa remains one of Africa's largest and most industrialised economies, attracting migrants from across the continent despite an unemployment rate of around 32%.
Competition for jobs and limited economic opportunities has fuelled frustration in some communities, with undocumented migrants often blamed for unemployment, poverty and crime.
While Ramaphosa and several labour organisations have argued that migrants are being unfairly scapegoated for the country's broader socio-economic challenges, immigration has become an increasingly prominent political issue ahead of this year's local government elections.
South Africa has experienced deadly outbreaks of xenophobic violence in the past. In 2008, riots targeting foreign nationals claimed 62 lives, while violence in 2019 left at least 12 people dead, including 10 South African citizens, after mobs attacked foreign-owned businesses in and around Johannesburg.
Authorities have urged the public to exercise their constitutional right to protest peacefully and warned that any acts of violence, intimidation or destruction of property will be met with swift legal action.