A group calling itself the Mamelodi Concerned Residents is expected to march to the Department of Home Affairs in Pretoria on Friday to protest against immigrants in South Africa.

Security services said “scores of people” are expected to take part in the march.

Law enforcement officers would be deployed along the route and at venues where memorandums would be handed over, the National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure said in a statement on Thursday.

Spokesperson Brigadier Vishnu Naidoo said the City of Tshwane had approved the march.


Tshwane metro police spokesperson Senior Superintendent Isaac Mahamba said SAPS was handling security.

The Institute for Justice and Reconciliation (IJR) condemned the planned march and said government needs to urgently address the systemic inefficiencies that led to xenophobic violence.

"Community leaders and government officials should avoid using inflammatory xenophobic language which further fuels xenophobic attitudes," the IJR said.

On Saturday, residents of Pretoria West raided homes they alleged were being used as brothels and drug dens. They called for "pimps" to release prostitutes and send them back home. Two houses were set alight.

On February 11, at least 10 houses allegedly being used for drug dealing and prostitution were set alight in Rosettenville, Johannesburg. Locals alleged that Nigerians were the source of the criminal activity.