March and March Movement leader Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma has revealed screenshots of what she says are hostile social media comments from two women identified as Zimbabwean nationals, just hours before anti-illegal immigration protests were held across South Africa on Tuesday, 30 June.
The former VUMA FM presenter posted the screenshots on her official X (formerly Twitter) account, claiming the messages were an attempt to provoke her before demonstrations began in several provinces. The marches formed part of a nationwide campaign calling for stricter immigration enforcement and action against undocumented foreign nationals living in South Africa.
Sharing the images with her followers, Ngobese-Zuma described the comments as “early morning provocation from the poor and innocent migrants,” a statement that quickly sparked widespread discussion online.
One of the comments, allegedly posted by a woman identified as Nestar L KM, rejected calls for undocumented migrants to leave South Africa. The commenter insisted that foreign nationals had no intention of returning to their countries of origin and expressed confidence that they would continue building their lives in South Africa.
According to the screenshot, the woman wrote that foreigners were “not going anywhere” and believed they would continue to prosper alongside South Africans. Rather than entering into a lengthy debate, Ngobese-Zuma simply responded with a brief “OK.”
A second comment, allegedly posted by Yeukai Moyo, took a more personal tone. The woman questioned whether the anti-illegal immigration marches would have any real impact and criticised Ngobese-Zuma’s personal life, education and leadership.
The comment suggested that instead of participating in protests, Ngobese-Zuma should focus on her marriage and also mocked her academic background. The remarks attracted significant attention after the screenshots were shared publicly.
Ngobese-Zuma’s post quickly generated thousands of reactions on social media, with South Africans expressing sharply divided opinions over both the comments and the broader immigration debate.
Some users defended the March and March Movement leader, arguing that the comments demonstrated disrespect towards South Africans raising concerns about illegal immigration.
Others, however, questioned whether street protests alone would be enough to address the country’s immigration challenges. Some social media users pointed out that removing millions of undocumented migrants would require government intervention rather than public demonstrations.
Several commenters argued that while they were not supporters of the marches, the personal attacks directed at Ngobese-Zuma were unnecessary. Others maintained that resistance from migrants was expected given the growing pressure surrounding immigration enforcement.
The latest online exchange comes amid heightened tensions surrounding the national shutdown and anti-illegal immigration protests held across South Africa on 30 June. The demonstrations have sparked intense debate over immigration policy, border security and the government’s handling of undocumented foreign nationals.
This is not the first time Ngobese-Zuma has found herself at the centre of controversy involving Zimbabwean nationals. Earlier, an alleged WhatsApp conversation between her and Zimbabwean journalist Limukani Mathe was leaked online, prompting widespread discussion across social media platforms.
Supporters argued that the leaked conversation had been taken out of context, while critics questioned some of the views attributed to the movement leader.
As the immigration debate continues to dominate public discourse, reactions to Ngobese-Zuma’s latest post reflect the deep divisions that remain over the issue. While some South Africans continue to support calls for stricter immigration enforcement, others believe long-term solutions will require government policy, regional cooperation and respectful public engagement rather than confrontational exchanges on social media.
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