March and March leader says government is similar to apartheid regime

Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma, a leader of the March and March organization, has criticized South Africa's government as being akin to the apartheid regime. She made this claim in a social media post on Friday, alleging that the government is employing the legal system against those it perceives as threats. Ngobese-Zuma and her husband are reportedly facing arrest, though the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) and police in KwaZulu-Natal have stated that no arrest warrants have been issued for them.

Ngobese-Zuma, who rose to prominence as the head of an organization advocating for stricter immigration controls, drew parallels between current government policies and apartheid-era practices. She lamented that, despite being born during apartheid, she now understands why it was necessary for the government to legislate against dissent, as those who challenge the state or system are deemed to be breaking the law.

Ngobese-Zuma highlighted the government's failure to fulfill promises made after apartheid, as well as the treatment of South Africans who speak out against it. She accused the government of hypocrisy in its approach to illegal immigration, claiming that while they cannot solve the problem of illegal immigration and the crimes committed by foreigners, they will use any means necessary, including invoking 'law enforcement,' to silence citizens and instill fear.

Ngobese-Zuma's remarks came in the wake of heightened tensions following a Constitutional Court ruling that invalidated certain sections of the Refugees Act of 1998. This ruling allowed asylum seekers to bypass immigration status checks during Home Affairs processing. The decision sparked anti-illegal immigration protests in Durban, Soweto, and the Johannesburg CBD, during which several March and March supporters were arrested by police.