South Africa’s security and governance structures are preparing for heightened tensions ahead of planned nationwide demonstrations on June 30. Authorities and private security firms are warning of possible disruption linked to anti-illegal-immigration sentiment and past patterns of unrest, as well as plans already in place to combat unrest on various levels of government.

“The metro’s plans have been discussed at a high level with the police as well as metro police teams. We definitely have a plan in place. There is readiness for any possible incident,” said Action SA MMC for Community Safety Hannes Coetzee.

Freedom Front Plus caucus leader in the Tshwane Council, Grandi Theunissen, said: “Weathering tensions is critical, especially given the possibility of violence breaking out in KwaZulu-Natal and Johannesburg. Tshwane authorities must remain vigilant to ensure demonstrations remain within the bounds of the law.”

The planned protests have been framed by organisers as a call for stricter enforcement of immigration laws, including tighter border controls, increased deployment of immigration officers, and deportations of undocumented foreign nationals.

However, the campaign has triggered concern among authorities and civil society due to the risk of violence, particularly given recent vigilante attacks on foreign nationals that have already led to large-scale voluntary returns to several neighbouring countries.

Memories of the July 2021 unrest in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng continue to shape current security planning.

South Africa’s largest private security company, Fidelity Services Group, said it has activated contingency measures and is co-ordinating closely with law enforcement and other stakeholders through its National Joint Operations Centre.

CEO Wahl Bartmann said the company has placed aerial and rapid-response assets on standby, including helicopters, drones, specialised personnel, and armoured vehicles to respond to potential incidents.

According to him, their operational assessment indicates that potential hotspots include major transport routes, town centres, business districts, municipal offices and foreign-owned businesses, with KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng identified as the provinces most at risk.

Bartmann has also warned that disruptions could include road blockages, intimidation at workplaces, interruptions to retail activity, and pressure on public service facilities.

Government preparations have also been intensified.

Acting Minister of Police, Firoz Cachalia, confirmed on June 22 during a press conference in Pretoria that additional police deployments will be made to identified hotspots, with co-ordination across SAPS leadership structures, provincial authorities, municipal bodies, and community policing forums.

He said the operation will cost R600-million.

Defence Minister Angie Motshekga has further confirmed that the South African National Defence Force has been placed on standby as a precautionary measure.

Cachalia also stated that law enforcement operations to verify the legal status of foreign nationals will continue, emphasising that enforcement will be carried out within constitutional and legal frameworks.

He urged police leadership to act decisively against any incitement, violence, or criminal activity, while ensuring public safety and the protection of constitutional rights.

With days remaining before the planned action, security forces, private security companies and municipal authorities remain on alert, focusing on co-ordination and rapid response capability to prevent a repeat of past large-scale unrest and economic disruption.

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