The March and March Movement has noted with grave concern reports that a warrant of arrest has been issued by the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) to arrest the founder and leader of the March and March Movement, Mrs Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma, and the Acting Chief Executive Officer of the SA First Forum, Mr Xolani Zuma, on or before Friday, 16 October 2026.

Allegations of political motivation

Maximum prison beds have already been prepared to detain citizen activists in an effort to cause civil unrest and disrupt the upcoming 4 November 2026 Local Government Elections. The Movement states it knew three months ago that an executive committee meeting of a failing political movement met to discuss whether to arrest its leaders before or after elections. These looming arrests are no coincidence. The Movement had always known that this arrest was planned for just after the elections, but with recent pressure through countrywide marches, the NPA is receiving undue political pressure to act immediately.

The March and March Movement views this reckless, politically motivated move as a deliberate strategy from the Presidency to plunge the country into chaos, intimidate civil society, and avoid the political embarrassment faced by the former ruling party ahead of the November elections. President Cyril Ramaphosa must publicly distance himself from this reckless move and political interference.

Criticism of political leaders

The Movement expresses total disappointment and anger at IFP Premier Thami Ntuli and the ANC leadership for deploying forces against peaceful citizens and arresting activists, including students. The IFP must distance itself from Premier Ntuli immediately, as his actions signal growing obsession with political optics over community protection.

Rejection of Constitutional Court judgement

The Movement calls on South Africans to reject the recent Constitutional Court judgement which was granted barely a week after 120 peaceful, registered countrywide marches on 30 June called on the government to prioritise citizens. In the wake of staggering 43% unemployment and a soaring cost of living, ordinary South Africans have been relegated to a state of hopelessness, collapse, and abject poverty.

Core demands

Through numerous memorandums and media releases, March and March Movement has consistently called for a proactive national response, including:

Immediate and massive deportation of all illegal foreign nationals currently in the country (estimated at over 15 million).

Amendment of legislation to enable the Border Management Authority (BMA) to operate inland, and stopping the defunding of the BMA.

Declaring illegal immigration a National Disaster, legislating and passing municipal by-laws to reserve the township and informal economy strictly for South African small businesses.

Calls for SANDF deployment against illegal mining

Instead of deploying state resources to intimidate peaceful citizen activists, March and March Movement demands the immediate deployment of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) to neutralise illegal mining (zama zama) syndicates operating in the following identified national hotspots:

Gauteng Province (Witwatersrand Goldfields): Johannesburg, Roodepoort, Durban Deep, Maraisburg, Florida, Westonaria, West Rand, and East Rand (including Benoni and Krugersdorp/Mogale City).

North West Province: Stilfontein (Vaal Reefs Mine, Stilfontein Mine, and Hartebeestfontein Gold Mine) and Bapong.

Mpumalanga Province: Barberton (Makhonjwa Mountains), Pilgrim's Rest, eMalahleni (Witbank), Ermelo, and the N4 corridor near Kaapmuiden and Mashoboto.

Free State Province: Welkom and surrounding goldfields.

Limpopo Province: Burgersfort and the Mecklenburg policing area (focused on chrome and platinum mining zones).

Northern Cape Province: Kleinzee and the Atlantic coastline (alluvial diamond mining areas).

Upcoming marches to proceed

The March and March Movement reaffirms its resolve to proceed with its scheduled Thursday peaceful marches aimed at putting pressure on the government to prioritise South Africans, secure our borders, and restore law and order.