Hundreds of Nquthu residents, including informal traders, took to the streets last Friday in a mass protest. They are demanding that foreign nationals occupying local businesses and homes be verified and deported.
The march, organised under the banner of ‘March and March, Nquthu, Until We Win’, began along the R68 and ended at the Nquthu municipal offices, where a memorandum of grievances was handed over.

The protesters claimed that over 70% of trading sites in town are now run by foreign nationals, some of whom also occupy RDP houses, while local residents remain unemployed. Informal traders, street vendors and hair salon workers were among those who joined the march.
“There are no jobs for locals, not even grass-cutting jobs,” said a visibly frustrated municipal chief whip, Cllr Mbongeni Mnguni, who received the memorandum. “It is unacceptable that job opportunities meant for unskilled residents are now being taken by foreign nationals.”

March leaders Zipho Hlatshwayo and Thandazani Buthelezi accused foreigners of introducing drugs to the area and being involved in gender-based violence, illegal trading and fraud. They called on Home Affairs and the SAPS to conduct verification raids in both town and surrounding villages. “We are here to remind the municipality of its bylaws. If they don’t have them, now is the time to draft them,” said Buthelezi.
“This is our town and we must protect it.”
Mnguni promised to pass the memorandum to the municipality. They will meet with the relevant stakeholders within seven days to seek a resolution.

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