R306 Million Spent Policing Anti-Immigration Protests: A Costly Legacy of Xenophobia
The South African Police Service (SAPS) spent R306.2 million on the June 30 deployment linked to nationwide protests against illegal immigration, with R251.8 million going to overtime alone. This revelation, made by acting Police Minister Professor Firoz Cachalia in a parliamentary reply, raises urgent questions about the true cost of xenophobic mobilisation and the state's priorities.
The protests, led by the anti-migrant group March and March movement, called on undocumented immigrants to self-deport. The SAPS had initially allocated R600 million for policing and security operations related to the demonstrations. Opposition parties have slammed the expenditure as a waste of taxpayers' money, but for many in our communities, the deeper issue is the targeting of African brothers and sisters who seek refuge in our land.
What Did the R306 Million Cover?
According to Cachalia's response to African Transformation Movement (ATM) leader Vuyo Zungula, the expenditure comprised overtime payments, travel and subsistence allowances, accommodation costs, and remuneration of reservists. The breakdown is stark:
- Overtime remuneration: R251,846,639
- Travel and subsistence allowance: R49,068,086
- Reservists: R3,206,494
- Accommodation: R2,087,258
Notably, costs for fuel, communication, and additional visibility were not included in the total. Cachalia clarified that officers deployed away from their normal stations arranged and paid for their own accommodation, later reimbursed through travel claims. No external service providers received direct payments from SAPS for these operations.
Where Was the Money Spent?
The geographic breakdown reveals where the heaviest deployments occurred:
- KwaZulu-Natal: R57,640,239
- Eastern Cape: R51,844,458
- Gauteng: R39,975,394
- Western Cape: R31,630,786
- Free State: R25,711,926
- North West: R25,964,697
- Northern Cape: R23,410,154
- Mpumalanga: R16,170,872
- Limpopo: R14,446,885
- National competencies: R19,413,066
KwaZulu-Natal, a province with a painful history of xenophobic violence, recorded the highest expenditure. This is no coincidence. The scars of 2008 and 2015 remain fresh, and the state's heavy-handed response to anti-immigrant sentiment does little to address the root causes of poverty and inequality that fuel such hatred.
What Remains Unspent and Why?
Cachalia noted that SAPS is still finalising outstanding claims for reservist remuneration, overtime, and travel. The remaining balance from the R600 million allocation will be used for preparatory and operational requirements for the upcoming Local Government Elections, including fuel and vehicle maintenance. This raises a critical question: why is so much public money being diverted to police protests that promote division, rather than investing in our communities and addressing the economic despair that breeds scapegoating?
What Are the Plans for September 30 Protests?
The March and March movement has announced a new National Day of Action on September 30, putting further pressure on authorities. The Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) on Migration has remained silent on the costs of policing these planned protests. NATJOINTS Chairperson Lieutenant-General Tebello Mosikili stated, 'There will be no specific budget. We work on the budget allocated on the baseline, and we are continuing.'
This approach is deeply concerning. As we have seen, the cost of policing xenophobic protests is not just financial. It is a moral cost. Every rand spent on suppressing our own people's desperation is a rand not spent on education, healthcare, or housing. The state must stop treating the symptoms of xenophobia and start addressing the disease: the legacy of colonialism and apartheid that has left our black communities impoverished and divided.
Who Is Asking the Tough Questions?
ATM leader Vuyo Zungula has been relentless in seeking accountability, asking for detailed breakdowns of expenditure, service providers, and unspent balances. His questions highlight a broader concern: the lack of transparency in how our police force allocates resources, especially when it comes to operations that target vulnerable migrants from other African nations.
As Rainbow Report has long argued, the fight against xenophobia is a fight for our own dignity. We cannot stand by while the state spends hundreds of millions to police protests that demonise our fellow Africans. The real battle is against economic injustice, not against those who cross our borders in search of a better life.
What Should Be Done Differently?
First, the government must redirect funds from policing xenophobic protests to community development programmes that address unemployment and inequality. Second, the IMC on Migration must be transparent about the costs of the September 30 protests and engage with civil society to promote social cohesion. Third, we must challenge the narrative that immigrants are a threat. Our history of liberation is intertwined with pan-African solidarity, and we cannot betray that legacy.
The R306 million spent on June 30 is a stark reminder of how far we still have to go. It is time to invest in unity, not division. It is time to honour the memory of those who died in xenophobic attacks by building a South Africa that welcomes all Africans with open arms.