March and March leader walks out of meeting with JCPS on illegal immigrants

Sanele Khambule, the national treasurer of the anti-immigrant movement March and March, abruptly walked out of a national security meeting at the Union Buildings on Monday, branding the gathering a toothless government “talk-shop”.

The urgent meeting had brought together the ministers of the justice, crime prevention and security (JCPS) cluster alongside top state security officials to address the rapidly escalating, nationwide protests against illegal immigration and undocumented foreigners.

However, the intervention fell flat for the civic movement.

Speaking immediately after his exit, an aggrieved Khambule accused the government delegation of being thoroughly unprepared and lacking any tangible plan to handle the crisis.

He further noted that attendees were expected to deliberate without even being provided a formal agenda.

“This meeting was done rather too late,” Khambule said. ”South Africans are already angry and have mobilised themselves around the country against the scourge of illegal immigration.”

The purpose of the engagements was to establish guidelines for conduct during protests, while also discussing government initiatives and strategies aimed at addressing the issue of illegal immigration.

March and March later said it would be addressing supporters at 7pm on its social media platforms about the way forward.

TimesLIVE