SAPS arrests 14 following peaceful ‘March and March’ protest in eMalahleni
The ‘March and March’ protest led to the processing of some foreign nationals, 14 of whom were found without valid documentation.
The community of eMalahleni joined the national ‘March and March’ movement to express their outrage over illegal foreigners taking over the City of Coal.
On June 4, the marchers submitted a memorandum to the mayor of the Emalahleni Local Municipality, Clr Vusi Nhlapho, demanding that illegal foreigners leave the city.
“We call upon the government to stop the granting and processing of all refugees’ applications with immediate effect,” said Sandile Dube, from the national office of the movement. “We also call for the immediate massive deportation of all illegal foreign nationals in the country.”
The peaceful march was monitored by SAPS officers and other law enforcement, who were deployed to ensure the safety of all, including road users and members of the public.
@witbanknews The March and March protestors submited a memorandum to the mayor of the Emalahleni Local Municipality, Clr Vusi Nhlapho, demanding for illegal foreigners to leave the city. #WitbankNews #Emalahleni #MarchandMarch ♬ original sound – Witbank News
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SAPS provincial spokesperson Brigadier Donald Mdhluli confirmed that, after the memorandum handover, foreign nationals were processed by the Department of Home Affairs.
He said 14 of them were found without valid documentation and were arrested and charged accordingly.
However, the Acting Provincial Commissioner of the SAPS in Mpumalanga, Major General Dr Zeph Mkhwanazi, vowed that police and other law enforcement agencies will continue to be vigilant and ensure that members of the public obey the law.
“While communities have the right to raise their concerns through lawful and peaceful means, we strongly discourage any form of vigilantism. We encourage people to work together with law enforcement agencies and report criminal activities through the proper legal channels,” Mkhwanazi said.
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— WitbankNews (@WitbankN) January 28, 2026
Read more here: https://t.co/w9H4fg9Wpj#WitbankNews #eMalahleni #Kwaguqa #rape pic.twitter.com/E2Ml6aCtI6
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