JOHANNESBURG – African National Congress (ANC) Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula has delivered a scathing critique of the anti-immigration movement March and March, mocking its recent public fallout with activist Ngizwe Mchunu as a confirmation of his long-standing predictions of internal collapse.
Addressing a media briefing at Luthuli House on Tuesday, Mbalula appeared vindicated by the civil war currently rocking the movement that once threatened to bring South Africa to its knees with nationwide shutdowns. The ANC strongman argued that the organization’s leaders were never truly united by an immigration agenda, but rather by competing political ambitions that have now reached a breaking point.
“At the end of June, forces operating under an anti-immigration banner set out to shut down parts of our country,” Mbalula told journalists. “I was right when I told you they were going to differ because they have political interests while pursuing an immigration agenda. Where are we today? Are they not at each other’s throats?”
The "Failed" Shutdown
Mbalula did not hold back in his assessment of the movement’s impact, dismissing their highly publicised nationwide shutdown campaign as an outright failure. Despite the widespread anxiety that preceded the June 30 protests, Mbalula insisted that the state remained firmly in control.
“They were contained, and the shutdown they promised did not bring the Republic to its knees,” he said. However, the Secretary-General admitted that the optics of the protests had done significant damage to South Africa’s global standing. “There was a cost to the good name South Africa has built since 1912, and we are going to pay heavily for that,” he added, while simultaneously rejecting accusations that the ANC government was being soft on undocumented immigrants.
A Movement Divided
The public spat that triggered Mbalula’s mockery began on Monday, July 27, when March and March officially announced it had severed all ties with Ngizwe Mchunu. The decision followed a National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting held on July 25, where the movement’s leadership reportedly uncovered evidence of "attempts to interfere with and weaken the organisation."
Mchunu, a former Ukhozi FM presenter who has been a central figure in the movement’s rise, did not take the "red card" lying down. In a defiant video response that has since gone viral, Mchunu launched a blistering attack on his former allies, specifically targeting founder Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma and leader Phakel’umthakathi.
Describing them as his “juniors” who had become “excited by the limelight and relevance,” Mchunu questioned the movement’s ongoing strategy of street protests.
“We cannot march forever,” Mchunu declared, arguing that the movement had already achieved its goal of drawing national attention to illegal immigration. He warned that continued demonstrations would eventually collapse the economy while yielding no further tangible benefits for South Africans.
The Rise of a New "Offensive"
While March and March appears to be consolidating its leadership in the wake of Mchunu’s exit, the activist himself shows no signs of retreating from the anti-migrant space. Reports suggest that Mchunu is already planning a new "anti-migrants offensive" independent of the March and March structures, potentially further splintering the movement’s support base.
For Mbalula and the ANC, the infighting within the anti-immigration camp provides a welcome reprieve from the pressure of the June 30 deadline. By framing the movement as a collection of self-interested political opportunists, the ANC is seeking to reclaim the narrative on immigration and law enforcement.
As the "war of words" between Mchunu and the March and March leadership continues to play out on social media, Mbalula’s "I told you so" moment serves as a stark reminder of the volatile nature of South Africa’s populist politics. Whether the movement can survive this internal fracture—or if Mchunu’s new offensive will overshadow his former allies—remains to be seen.
For now, the Secretary-General’s words at Luthuli House echo the sentiment of a government that believes it has successfully stared down a major challenge to its authority. “Are they not at each other’s throats?” he asked. The answer, for now, appears to be a resounding yes.
