Trouble for Jacinta Zuma's March & March as 69 Get Arrested After Latest Protest Turns Into Looting

• South African police arrested 69 people aged between 18 and 52 after a march in Jeffreys Bay's Oceanview area turned violent on Thursday morning
• At least 23 spaza shops were looted during the unrest, with several foreign nationals moved to a temporary shelter for their safety
• The Eastern Cape provincial commissioner warned that police would not hesitate to act on lawlessness as authorities reinforced personnel across the Kouga region

Sixty-nine people are in custody following violent looting that broke out during an anti-immigrant protest in South Africa on Thursday morning, July 16, 2026, with police warning that the situation in the area remains unstable.

Police spokeswoman Brigadier Nobuntu Gantana confirmed that a planned march through the Oceanview area in Jeffrey's Bay turned violent, resulting in the arrests of people aged between 18 and 52.

All 69 face charges of public violence. Gantana added that further arrests are possible as the investigation progresses. The suspects are expected to appear before the Humansdorp Magistrate's Court on Monday.

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At least 23 spaza shops were looted during the unrest. One person sustained injuries and required hospitalisation, while several foreign nationals were relocated to a temporary shelter as a precautionary measure.

South African police reinforce presence across Kouga

Gantana said law enforcement has significantly increased its visibility in Jeffreys Bay and deployed additional resources across the wider Kouga region to prevent further flare-ups.

Eastern Cape provincial commissioner Lieutenant-General Vuyisile Ncata confirmed that manpower in the district had been bolstered. He appealed to community leaders to help de-escalate tensions by engaging directly with residents.

"We are calling on local leaders to address residents so that they can act responsibly and within the bounds of the law," Ncata said. "Police will not hesitate to act on lawlessness."

Jeffrey Bay protest part of wider nationwide campaign

The Jeffreys Bay unrest forms part of a broader wave of anti-immigration incidents that have spread across South Africa in recent weeks. In Alexandra, one person was shot dead during the looting of foreign-owned businesses.

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In Hillbrow, two people — including a 17-year-old — were wounded in a separate shooting that prompted a military deployment on 30 June.

Police Minister Firoz Cachalia announced a R600 million policing operation ahead of that date, with the South African Police Service deployed across all nine provinces in response to the escalating unrest. Similar incidents have since been reported in Garankuwa, Mthwalume, KuGompo City and Olievenhoutbosch.

The campaign has primarily targeted foreign traders, both those with valid documentation and those without.

SAPS has also separately conducted a nationwide immigration crackdown, resulting in the arrest of 8,896 foreign nationals over 14 days.

Source: YEN.com.gh