Inside Politics Reporter
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has denied issuing arrest warrants for March and March leader Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma and her lawyer husband, Xolani Zuma, following allegations that the pair face imminent arrest over their anti-immigration activities.
The denial follows a statement issued by the movement on Wednesday claiming that warrants had been issued for the couple and that they could be arrested by Friday.
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March and March alleged that the arrests were politically motivated and intended to intimidate activists ahead of the local government elections on 4 November.
“The NPA wishes to categorically deny that any warrant of arrest was issued, and that it does not receive instructions from political parties, holders of public office, or anyone else on its prosecutorial function. The NPA makes independent and impartial prosecutorial decisions, guided only by the Constitution, legislation and evidence,” said NPA national spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago on Thursday.
The allegations emerged amid heightened tensions following violent anti-immigration protests in Durban and Johannesburg last week, during which vehicles were torched, businesses looted and several people arrested.
The unrest followed a Constitutional Court judgment concerning the rights of asylum seekers to access the country’s refugee application system, regardless of how they entered South Africa.
March and March was among the organisations protesting outside the Department of Home Affairs’ Refugee Reception Centre in Durban, where demonstrators opposed the processing of asylum applications.
According to police, at least 24 vehicles were set alight in Durban and Soweto during the unrest on 8 October. Several buildings were also damaged, prompting a heightened police response.
The Department of Home Affairs subsequently withdrew a directive implementing the court judgment, citing public safety concerns and operational difficulties at refugee reception offices.
The latest arrest allegations were made in a statement issued by March and March national spokesperson Sandile Dube on Wednesday.
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Dube claimed that preparations had already been made to detain the movement’s leaders and alleged that political figures had discussed the timing of their arrests.
The movement accused the Presidency of attempting to destabilise the country and suppress its activities ahead of the municipal elections.
Xolani Zuma also addressed the allegations on Wednesday, saying he and his wife had been informed of possible arrest warrants but were still trying to establish whether the information was accurate.
“I do not believe that it is true, but to the extent that it is, we are available to hand ourselves over to the Police today,” he said.
Zuma urged members of March and March to remain calm while the claims were being investigated.
The controversy comes months after KwaZulu-Natal police opened a public violence case following protests by March and March supporters outside Addington Primary School in Durban in January.
At the time, police said the case had been opened against Ngobese-Zuma in her capacity as leader of the organisation following incidents at the school on 21 January.
Ngobese-Zuma denied wrongdoing and voluntarily presented herself at Point police station later that month.
There has been no confirmation that the latest allegations of arrest warrants are connected to that investigation or to the recent violence in Durban.
Kganyago said the NPA generally did not comment on possible arrests or investigations before the relevant law enforcement processes had been completed.
“As a general principle, the NPA does not normally make comments on matters of operations such as possible arrests and investigations before the law enforcement process involved is completed. Once a matter is enrolled in the courts, the charges and reasons for prosecution will become known through the normal judicial process.”
He also warned against spreading unsubstantiated claims about criminal proceedings.
“The NPA encourages people and organisations to desist from making unfounded allegations or comments which may serve to misrepresent and undermine the criminal justice process.”
