JOHANNESBURG - South Africans in parts of the country have opted to stay away to avoid being caught in the crossfire of the planned March and March protest.
The anti-immigration group gave an unofficial deadline of 30 June for all illegal immigrants in the country to leave.
To avoid the chaos that ensued in July 2021, the South African Police Service (SAPS) have pulled out all the stops and have deployed officers in across hotspots. Acting Police Minister says the deployment will cost South Africans about R600 million to ensure everyone's - protestors and civilians - safety.
By early morning not as many people, similar to past anti-immigration protest and the July 2021 unrest - showed up.
Human Rights lawyer Mametlwe Sebei says while violence and disorderly conduct many have been March and March's intention. They pushback they have received from society and the state's own operational plans may have seen them change their tone.
"The police have made it clear that there will be no tolerance for any amount of violence," he says.
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"I think that forced them to say we are going to have a peaceful demonstration," he adds.
The intention was there, says Sebei, and the build-up to the date made it clear that anti-immigration groups intended for the country to be chaotic.
March and March has been accused of being tribalistic. In their checks of whether people on the streets were South African, the main check was whether they could speak isiZulu. South Africa has 12 official languages as protected by the Constitution
A group representing Xitsonga-speaking people marched over the weekend to protest against non-Zulu speaking South Africans coming under attack and being accused of not being South African.
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The organisation's Sandile Dube says they have people protesting in Tzaneen, Limpopo with them.
"There has been a very incorrect perception that March and March against people of Tsonga origin," he says.
"No amount of tribal divisions will be allowed, we are for the people of South Africa," says Dube.
Sebei says it is not enough.
"In what wat do you think you can force millions of people who have run from war-torn countries and people from desperate conditions," he asks. You force them out of the country with the anticipation of violence.
Contrary to their proclamations now, they achieved this by means of terror.
"We have seen it play itself out with people being robbed of their belongings and kicked out of their spaza shops, from their homes and assaulted in full view of the media," says Sebei.
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"This is the only way they can achieve their objective," he adds. The change of heart is as a result of the government's response.
"We have also made it clear that for every death, act of violence and criminality, people are going to be held accountable," says Sebei.