Special police team to investigate killing of anti‑migrant leader in South Africa
A special police team has begun investigating the shooting of Andile Mvuyelwa Somgxada, the Gauteng province leader of the March and March anti‑migrant movement. The 52‑year‑old was shot outside his home east of Johannesburg on 13 July and died in hospital a few days later.
The movement says it was targeted because of its campaign for undocumented migrants to leave the country. March and March spokesperson Sandile Dube described the incident as retaliation and warned of organised threats to other leaders.
Acting Police Commissioner Lt Gen Puleng Dimpane announced a multidisciplinary team would carry out a thorough investigation, emphasising the seriousness of the case and the need for accountability.
Dimpane warned that “the law applies equally to everyone” and that no individual or group is authorised to conduct immigration inspections or removal of people from communities. She called for calm and stated the police would address intimidation and violence against foreign nationals.
The broader context of xenophobia in South Africa includes protests, intimidation and looting, as the government has already deported more than 53,000 foreign nationals in the past five weeks under a “migration management” campaign, and several countries have organised repatriations for citizens fleeing the country.
“The law applies equally to everyone. No individual or group has the authority to conduct immigration inspections, verify legal status, or remove people from communities.” – Lt Gen Puleng Dimpane
