Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma Blames Vagrants for Violence During March and March Protests in Durban

March and March leader Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma has distanced her movement from violent incidents during protests in Durban’s central business district, blaming individuals she described as vagrants for the unrest that accompanied the demonstrations.

Ngobese-Zuma’s remarks come amid growing controversy surrounding the movement’s activities and its demonstrations against undocumented foreign nationals and South Africa’s immigration policies.

The protests in Durban’s CBD have attracted significant attention, particularly following reports of confrontations and incidents of violence involving individuals in the area. However, Ngobese-Zuma has rejected suggestions that March and March should be held responsible for the disorder.

By attributing the violence to vagrants, the movement’s leader appears to be drawing a distinction between its stated objectives and the conduct of individuals who may have been present during the demonstrations.

The movement has been at the centre of increasingly heated debates about immigration enforcement, border security and the government’s handling of undocumented foreign nationals. Its campaign has called for stronger immigration controls, the repatriation of undocumented migrants and changes to the asylum application system.

Ngobese-Zuma has repeatedly maintained that the organisation intends to continue applying pressure on government authorities to address these demands.

However, the latest developments place renewed focus on the responsibility of protest organisers to ensure that demonstrations remain peaceful and do not create opportunities for criminal activity.

Violence during public demonstrations carries serious consequences, particularly for businesses, workers, commuters and residents who depend on the Durban CBD for their daily activities. Any disruption to commercial operations can also deepen economic difficulties for businesses already facing challenging trading conditions.

The allegations surrounding the protests are likely to attract further scrutiny from law enforcement authorities, especially as government officials have warned against criminality being disguised as activism.

President Cyril Ramaphosa has previously warned that government will not tolerate violence, looting or intimidation under the banner of addressing illegal immigration. Authorities have maintained that immigration enforcement must be conducted within the framework of the law.

Ngobese-Zuma’s comments therefore come at a sensitive moment for the movement, which faces the challenge of maintaining its political campaign while distancing itself from unlawful conduct.

Although she has blamed vagrants for the violence, the full circumstances surrounding the incidents and the identities of those responsible would need to be established through proper investigations.

The central question remains whether March and March can sustain its campaign without further confrontations threatening public safety and undermining its stated objectives.

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