March and March leader Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma has warned political parties that continue to ignore concerns about illegal immigration that they risk being voted out in the 2029 national elections.
In a Facebook post following the 4 November 2026 Local Government Elections, Ngobese-Zuma claimed that immigration was a decisive issue for voters and contributed to the losses suffered by some political parties.
She criticised parties for allegedly failing to listen to public concerns, saying they had instead made the immigration debate about her and the movement she leads.
“I wish people would tell political parties the truth about why they lost votes… The issue of immigration was a decider for these elections and we told you so, you chose to go against the will of the people!”
Ngobese-Zuma warned that parties would face further electoral consequences in 2029 if they continued to ignore the issue.
“Continue to ignore this and 2029 we will remove all these political parties that keep allowing foreigners to disrespect us in our own country.”
She also criticised those who defend what she described as unacceptable behaviour by foreign nationals in South Africa.
Her remarks come amid heightened political debate over immigration enforcement following the local government elections. The March and March movement has campaigned for stricter border controls, the deportation of undocumented immigrants and the prioritisation of South African citizens in employment opportunities.
Ngobese-Zuma has maintained that the movement’s campaign is focused on enforcing immigration laws rather than targeting people based on nationality. However, its activities have attracted criticism from human rights groups and political parties over concerns about xenophobia, intimidation and violence.
Her comments reflect her interpretation of the election outcome. The results alone do not establish that immigration was the deciding factor in voters’ choices.
