March and March has raised the alarm over the looming arrest of its founder and leader, Jacinta MaNgobese Zuma, and SA First Forum acting chief executive officer Xolani Zuma, saying the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has reportedly issued warrants for their arrest.
In a statement, the movement said the arrests were expected on or before Friday, 16 October 2026, and accused the government of using the criminal justice system to intimidate activists ahead of the local government elections scheduled for 4 November.
The organisation alleged that preparations had already been made to detain citizen activists, claiming the arrests were part of a strategy to trigger civil unrest and disrupt the upcoming elections.
March and March further claimed that a political movement’s executive committee had discussed three months ago whether its leaders should be arrested before or after the elections. It said the pressure generated by its nationwide marches had allegedly accelerated the planned arrests.
The movement accused President Cyril Ramaphosa’s administration of political interference and called on him to publicly distance himself from what it described as a politically motivated move.
March and March criticises IFP premier and ANC leadership
The organisation also expressed anger at KwaZulu-Natal Premier Thami Ntuli and ANC leadership over what it described as the deployment of security forces against peaceful citizens and the arrest of activists, including students.
It called on the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) to distance itself from Ntuli, accusing him of prioritising political image over the protection of communities.
March and March said it would continue exposing what it considers government failures in border security and systemic corruption, arguing that policies were prioritising foreign nationals over South African citizens.
Movement outlines demands
The movement called for the deportation of undocumented foreign nationals, amendments allowing the Border Management Authority (BMA) to operate inland, an end to the authority’s defunding and the declaration of illegal immigration as a national disaster.
It also called for legislation and municipal by-laws reserving township and informal trading economies for South African small businesses.
On illegal mining, the organisation demanded the immediate deployment of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) to areas it identified as hotspots for zama zama syndicates.
These include parts of Gauteng, North West, Mpumalanga, the Free State, Limpopo and the Northern Cape.
The movement also criticised a recent Constitutional Court judgment, calling on South Africans to reject it. It linked its demands to unemployment, the rising cost of living and what it described as growing poverty among ordinary citizens.
March and March reaffirmed that its scheduled peaceful marches would proceed on Thursday, saying the demonstrations were intended to pressure the government to prioritise South Africans, secure the country’s borders and restore law and order.
“We call on our people to remain focused and continue to march peacefully until victory is achieved,” the statement said.
