Anti-migrant activist's killing sparks police probe into South Africa's immigration violen

JOHANNESBURG - A specialized multidisciplinary police unit is now investigating the fatal shooting of Andile Mvuyelwa Somgxada, a provincial leader of the anti-migrant organization March and March, whose death has sharpened scrutiny of violence tied to South Africa’s contentious immigration debate.

Somgxada led March and March operations in Gauteng province. He was shot outside his home east of Johannesburg earlier this month and died in hospital several days later. Acting police chief Lt Gen Puleng Dimpane announced the investigative team on Tuesday evening, framing it as evidence of the service’s commitment to the case.

“We are committed to conducting a thorough investigation to establish the circumstances surrounding this murder and to ensure accountability,” Dimpane said.

The organization’s spokesperson, Sandile Dube, attributed the killing to retaliation for March and March’s campaign pressuring undocumented migrants to leave South Africa. Speaking to the BBC, Dube said other leaders within the movement had recently received death threats, and he described the incident as “an orchestrated hitman type of killing.” He called on authorities to investigate both the murder and what he characterized as a broader pattern of intimidation targeting the organization.

Immigration has become a flashpoint in South African politics. Anti-migrant demonstrators argue that undocumented foreigners strain public services and contribute to crime. March and March set an unofficial June 30 deadline for all undocumented migrants to depart and has promised weekly marches until its demands are met. The South African government reported that more than 53,000 foreign nationals have been deported or repatriated since it launched a “migration management” campaign five weeks ago.

The current wave of anti-migrant activity has generated violence, intimidation and looting across the country. On Tuesday, police in Limpopo province arrested five people for allegedly impersonating immigration officers and unlawfully ordering a legally resident Nigerian national to leave the country and close his business.

Dimpane issued a “stern warning” to those engaging in such conduct, stating that “the law applies equally to everyone” and that “no individual or group has the authority to conduct immigration inspections, verify legal status, or remove people from communities.”

On the question of how protesters treat foreign nationals, Dube said March and March rejected “any form of violence” and “any form of anti-law” conduct.

South Africa’s documented foreign national population exceeds three million, according to official figures, a count that excludes undocumented residents. The country has long drawn migrants seeking economic advancement, though xenophobic tensions have periodically erupted into violence.

Meanwhile, several nations have moved to facilitate returns for their citizens. Nigeria’s voluntary repatriation program saw its final government-organized flight land in Lagos on Wednesday, carrying 306 passengers, bringing the total number of Nigerians repatriated under the scheme to more than 1,200. Ghana, Kenya, Malawi and Uganda have similarly organized transportation for citizens seeking to return.

Whether the police investigation into Somgxada’s killing produces arrests, and how quickly, may determine whether tensions between March and March and the government escalate further in the weeks ahead.