South Africa protesters set September 30 deadline for undocumented migrants

Protesters in South African have given immigrants living in the country illegally until Sept. 30 to leave, threatening larger demonstrations if their demands are not met.

Weekly protests have continued in Durban, where the movement gained momentum earlier this year.

March and March leader Sphelele Shinga said activists expected up to 1.5 million people to join the next major demonstration.

“You should know that all the communities are gathering up again,” Shinga said. “They are waking up, they’re standing up for their home, standing up for their country.”

Shinga said protesters would “write another history” on Sept. 30 by demanding that undocumented migrants leave South Africa.

The group agreed to the move amid safety concerns after months on the street.

Princess Adjei, a Ghanaian refugee, said: “We can’t keep sleeping on the streets forever as well. People have died because of sleeping on the street.”

She said the group was awaiting buses while their documentation was being verified.

Peace activists, including Ela Gandhi, in support of the refugees, stood beside them during the demonstration.

Gandhi, a former member of Parliament and granddaughter of Mahatma Gandhi, condemned the protesters’ rhetoric.

“The rhetoric that these people are using is completely untrue,” Gandhi said. “It’s not the migrants that are causing the problems that they talk about.”

The Sept. 30 deadline has raised the prospect of renewed large-scale demonstrations in Durban.