14-year-old among those arrested as KZN police cracks down on criminal acts during anti-ilegal immigration demonstrations

30 JUN 2026, 14:04

3 min read

The KwaZulu-Natal police have pounced on five youths aged between 14 and 27 who allegedly looted a tuckshop in the early hours of Tuesday. 

This as various groupings pushing against the unregulated immigration had embarked on nationwide protests demanding that undocumented foreign nationals be sent back to their original countries.  

Police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda said the suspects had broken into a tuckshop in the Woody Glen area under the eThekwini metro's Hammarsdale township.  

"Police swiftly responded to reports of a group of people breaking into businesses in the Woody Glen in the early hours of Tuesday morning. The five were cornered and arrested as they attempted to flee," Netshiunda said.  

He said the suspects would be charged with malicious damage to property and business burglary. 

"They are still being processed and will appear in court soon," he said.  

In Durban, a strong contingent of marchers, some clad in the March and March movement regalia, began mobilising early in the morning. 

The group was also made up of amabutho (regiments) carrying familiar Zulu traditional weapons of sticks and shields. 

The mobilisation took place mainly in the various hostels and townships under the eThekwini metro. 

The protests action led by, among others, staunch anti-migrant activist Nkosikhona "Phakelumthakathi" Ndabandaba and one of March and March founders Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma, had been planned to commence from the popular King DinuZulu area in the city's Warwick triangle and conclude at the infamous Durban Point. The Point precinct, which is now named after struggle icon Mahatma Gandhi, is suspected to be the heart of the drug trade and prostitution in the province.  

KZN Premier Thamsanqa Ntuli commended the police officers for the arrest of the five suspects, saying his government has adopted a zero-tolerance approach to those who attempted to hijack the concerns raised by marchers to conduct nefarious activities.  

"Law enforcement, private security companies and community safety structures will continue to monitor the site for the duration of the day and beyond and are tasked with maintaining law and order. 

“We acknowledge and respect that civil society has the right to protest and voice their concerns. However, we urge all those participating in today's marches against illegal immigration to do so within the prescript of the law," Ntuli said.  

He further said the arrest in Woody Glen was a stern warning to everyone that “we will not tolerate any acts of criminality. We cannot and will not allow anarchy and lawlessness to be the order of the day”. 

The police had heightened visibility in all areas considered hotspots. The provincial government has also set up a rapid response nerve centre in Durban and at all districts to ensure speedy response and to quell any reported incidents of crime around the province. 

"We have further resorted to deploying all members of the executive council to their respective districts to join hands with local leadership to quell any possible disruptions. We are committed to maintaining this collective visibility in all areas today and beyond in order to make a strong statement about respecting the rule of law in KwaZulu-Natal," Ntuli said.