As of late morning on June 30, 2026, there have been no reports of significant protest activity or incidents in the Nelson Mandela Bay metropolitan area, including Gqeberha, Kariega, or Despatch.
The Eastern Cape had been identified by law enforcement as a “minimal risk” zone in the lead-up to today’s nationwide demonstrations. While provincial authorities, including the SAPS and local community safety departments, did put operational plans in place and identified potential “hotspots” for increased monitoring, the region has remained calm.
Current Situation in Nelson Mandela Bay:
The widespread disruption and “national shutdown” feared by some have not manifested in the metro. Public life appears to be continuing as normal.
A zero-tolerance approach to violence or illegal activity was communicated by the MEC for Community Safety, Xolile Nqatha, and the provincial police commissioner last week. Police and security forces have been on high alert to ensure that any gatherings – if they were to occur – remain within the bounds of the law.
Similar to other parts of the country like Cape Town and Durban, the “deadline” for self-deportation set by protest organizers has not triggered the unrest that some social media reports had predicted.
In short, there is no evidence of organized protest marches disrupting the metro area this morning. Local authorities continue to monitor for any localized activity, but the day remains stable.
As of today, June 30, 2026, the protests organized by “March and March” and other affiliated groups have seen a low turnout across South Africa, significantly below the numbers originally anticipated by organizers.
Reports from major urban centers indicate that the promised “national shutdown” did not materialize in the way the organizers had projected.
Three men were arrested in KwaDwesi, Gqeberha, on Tuesday after they were allegedly part of a crowd that tried to break into and loot a spaza shop owned by migrants.
According to information from private security in the area, the suspects were found in possession of a firearm inside a Toyota Quantum minibus. They were arrested at the scene and taken to the KwaDwesi police station.
It is understood that a group of men have been going around demanding documents from migrants.
More than 50 residents from KwaDwesi gathered in front of the shop, demanding answers from a man believed to be friends with the men taken into custody.
Police arrested 76 undocumented foreign nationals on Monday, 29 June, in Gqeberha as part of the ongoing operational deployment, SAPS spokesperson Captain Sandra Janse van Rensburg said.
She said the police were alerted to suspicious activity at a house in Havelock Street, in Gqeberha’s Central area, and found 76 undocumented foreigners living in one house. Seven of those in the house were children.
In addition three suspects, two from Uganda and one from Malawi, were arrested on charges of aiding and abetting undocumented foreign nationals, the distribution of fraudulent documents and possession of counterfeit goods.
Here is a breakdown of the situation based on live reporting:
Attendance Estimates (as of mid-day, June 30, 2026)
Johannesburg: The largest gathering reported has been estimated at between 800 and 900 people moving through the Johannesburg CBD and Hillbrow. Earlier in the morning, smaller groups of approximately 50 to 100 people were observed near the Gauteng Legislature.
Cape Town: Turnout has been minimal. Reports indicate that only about 80 to 100 people had gathered outside the Western Cape Provincial Parliament as of late morning, despite some earlier reports of a slow start involving around 40 individuals.
Durban: While crowds gathered at King Dinuzulu Park, turnout remained low relative to expectations, with attendees largely engaged in singing and dancing rather than large-scale protest action.
The South African government and the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Migration declared today a normal working day and warned that acts of intimidation or violence would be prosecuted.
Law enforcement remains on high alert. In Gauteng alone, authorities deployed over 13,000 personnel, and 6,000 officers were reportedly deployed in the Western Cape to monitor for potential unrest and ensure public safety.
On Monday, June 29, there was a larger, separate protest in Soweto involving approximately 3,000 people, which remained peaceful.
While the “March and March” campaign set an arbitrary deadline for undocumented foreign nationals to leave the country today, the day has been characterized by heavy police visibility, quiet streets, and a general lack of the widespread disruption that some had feared.
R600 000 PER Protestor?:
Based on the reports from major urban centres today, June 30, 2026, the total number of protestors participating in the “March and March” demonstrations is estimated to be between 880 and 1,000 people.
The South African Police Service (SAPS), along with the broader security cluster, allocated a projected budget of R600 million for the security operations surrounding the protests today.
