Special Police Team Launched to Probe Anti-Migrant Leader’s Fatal Shooting

Police in black anti‑riot vests walk with anti‑migrant protesters

A special investigative unit has begun probing the killing of Andile Mvuyelwa Somgxada, the Gauteng province leader of the anti‑migrant pressure group March and March.

Police confirmed Somgxada was shot outside his home east of Johannesburg earlier this month and died several days later in hospital. March and March spokesperson Sandile Dube tells the BBC it was a retaliation for the group’s 2026 demand that undocumented migrants be forced to exit the country by 30 June.

Dube warned the movement had received death threats and that the murder was likely an “orchestrated hitman” operation. He urged authorities to unsettle intimidation faced by organization members.

Acting Police Chief Lt. Gen Puleng Dimpane announced the multidisciplinary team, stressing the seriousness of the case. “We are committed to conducting a thorough investigation to establish the circumstances surrounding this murder and to ensure accountability,” he said.

The incident comes amid growing xenophobia in South Africa, the country’s richest nation which has long attracted migrants for better economic prospects. The anti‑migrant movement has also organised public demonstrations demanding that “foreigners” be removed from healthcare and other public services.

Since launching a “migration management” campaign six weeks ago, the government reports having deported or repatriated over 53,000 foreign nationals. Yet violence has surged, with recent arrests in Limpopo for impersonating immigration officers and intimidation of a Nigerian businessman.

Acting Police Chief Dimpane issued a stern warning that no individual or group has the authority to conduct immigration inspections, verify legal status or remove people from communities. “The law applies equally to everyone,” he added.

March and March rejects all forms of violence and anti‑law. Housing for undocumented migrants remains a contentious issue, with more than three million documented foreign nationals residing in the country, according to official figures.

Several countries—including Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria and Uganda—have begun organising flights for their citizens to return home amid rising tensions.

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