More than thirty organisations from across the country marched to the Union Buildings in Tshwane to demand the immediate deportation of all illegal immigrants and to prioritise South Africans. The marchers gathered at Burgers Park in Pretoria around 8 am and proceeded to the Union Buildings.

According to Kgothatso Moloto, president of Voice It in Action and a member of the steering committee, the march was the result of the collective efforts of many organisations that had long advocated for prioritising South Africans. Moloto stated that as individuals, the groups realised that not much change or action was coming forth from the relevant authorities, and perhaps uniting might yield better results

“It takes a true leader to bring people together, to be led, and to make a real difference. Our mandate is simple: we want immediate deportation of illegal immigrants, and the implicated countries should be held accountable. We cannot solely blame the individuals,” Moloto explained.

“We cannot bear the burdens of other countries while we have our own problems to attend to. As South Africans, we opened our hearts and homes to our brothers, and now we are being harmed. Some are selling fake goods, contributing to the slow destruction of our society. There are issues of human trafficking, child abduction, and acceptance of wages below the minimum wage, which prevents South Africans from negotiating for fair compensation,” he added

Moloto highlighted that while other African nations were allowed to be strict regarding individuals entering their countries and engaging in commerce, South Africans faced criticism whenever they voiced concerns about the detrimental impact of illegal immigrants.