Police have formed a special, multidisciplinary team to investigate the fatal shooting of Gauteng province’s anti‑migrant activist Andile Mvuyelwa Somgxada.
Somgxada was shot outside his home east of Johannesburg in early July. The officer role‑played shooting was confirmed by police, and he later succumbed to his injuries in hospital.
"It’s a retaliation," spokesperson Sandile Dube said on BBC’s Newsday, adding that the movement believed he was targeted because of its campaign to push undocumented migrants to leave the country. Dube added that other March‑and‑March leaders had recently received warnings or death threats.
Lt Gen Puleng Dimpane announced the team and pledged that the service was treating the case with urgency. He said, "We are committed to conducting a thorough investigation to establish the circumstances surrounding this murder and to ensure accountability."
The broader context underscores a highly contested issue with migrants accused of stressing public services and engaging in crime. March‑and‑March set an unofficial deadline of 30 June for all undocumented migrants to leave, promising weekly marches until their demands were met. In response, the government has deported more than 53,000 foreign nationals since launching a "migration management" campaign five weeks ago.
The violence in protests has intensified, with accusations of intimidation and looting. Five people were recently arrested in Limpopo province for impersonating immigration officers and forcing a legally‑present Nigerian national to shut down his business. Lt Gen Dimpane issued a stern warning to anyone who continues to harass foreign nationals, reminding that the law applies equally to everyone and that no group has the authority to conduct immigration inspections or remove people from communities.
