In a major escalation of its civil and political campaign, the anti-illegal immigration and citizen advocacy movement March and March, spearheaded by founder and former radio personality Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma, officially launched its new legal arm, the SA First Forum, alongside the March and March Foundation.
The high-profile launch follows months of heated nationwide protests, grassroots mobilisation, and intense public debate concerning undocumented immigration, national resources, and law enforcement accountability.
Moving from the streets to the courtrooms
The establishment of the SA First Forum marks a strategic pivot for the movement. While March and March has primarily relied on street-level demonstrations, rallies, and public mobilisation – which have frequently drawn both fervent support and sharp criticism – the newly minted non-profit organisation is designed to take the fight directly to the state through formal legal channels.
Speaking at the launch event, Ngobese-Zuma framed the initiative as an essential shield for everyday citizens who feel abandoned by existing legislative priorities.
“This forum will provide justice to the voiceless South Africans, for whom justice has for many years remained a distant cousin,” Ngobese-Zuma declared.
She added that the organisation intends to serve as a steadfast “vanguard of South African citizens,” predominantly representing Black South Africans, local economic participants, and private individuals.
Immediate legal target: Challenging SAPS directives
The SA First Forum is wasting no time testing its legal muscle. Ngobese-Zuma announced that the NPO is preparing to launch urgent court proceedings against the government, specifically targeting an alleged internal directive issued to members of the South African Police Service.
According to the movement, the disputed police circular instructs law enforcement officers to refrain from participating in or facilitating civilian-led actions intended to identify, confront, or remove foreign nationals from communities. Furthermore, it directs private individuals reporting suspected undocumented migrants away from local stations, routing them instead to the Department of Home Affairs or the Border Management Authority.
Zuma fiercely criticised the directive, arguing that it effectively ties the hands of local law enforcement when confronted with illegal acts.
“It is our respectful view that this seeks to diminish and/ or undermine the fact that being in the country without proper documents, and / or illegally, is a crime,” she argued. “Therefore, this circular invites the police not to act even when a crime is committed right in front of them.”
Context, controversy, and the broader agenda
The launch of the SA First Forum and the March and March Foundation comes on the heels of an intensive campaign characterised by public dialogues, economic nationalism, and localised demonstrations targeting foreign-owned informal businesses which are reserved for citizens and undocumented populations.
While Ngobese-Zuma and her supporters maintain that their advocacy is anchored in defending the rule of law, protecting local employment opportunities, and fixing compromised border controls, the movement has faced immense pushback from civil rights groups, legal analysts, and researchers. Critics have frequently accused the leadership of relying on populist rhetoric and stoking anti-immigrant sentiment.
Despite ongoing controversies, the formalisation of the March and March Foundation and the creation of a dedicated litigation wing signals that the movement is institutionalising its footprint. By moving its grievances from public protests into the judiciary, March and March is attempting to transition from a localised pressure group into a formalised structural force in South Africa's socio-political landscape.
As the SA First Forum prepares its founding court papers, the legal showdown between the citizen-led movement and the state is expected to test the boundaries of civil activism, police mandates, and immigration policy enforcement in South Africa.