South African activist Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma has openly expressed support for xenophobic actions targeting Nigerians and other African migrants in South Africa.
In a widely circulated video, the radio personality and founder of the March and March Movement described herself as “possibly a bitter person,” attributing her views to a traumatic childhood experience involving her mother and an alleged fraudulent marriage to a Nigerian man.
According to Ngobese-Zuma, the incident had lasting emotional consequences for her family, affecting their identity and leading to legal complications.
She claimed her mother was unknowingly bound in a marital arrangement with a man she had never met, a situation she said caused significant distress.
The activist cited the experience as a driving force behind her hardline stance on undocumented immigrants.
She accused some foreign nationals of exploiting South Africa’s marriage systems and economic opportunities, alleging that such practices have become increasingly common.
Ngobese-Zuma further claimed that some immigrants now pay South African women to enter into marriage arrangements, describing the trend as one fueled by desperation.
Known for her advocacy for stricter immigration controls, she has led several protests calling for tougher policies.
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Speaking at a recent demonstration in Gauteng, she said South Africans are “tired of illegal immigrants taking over spaces” and urged the government to act decisively.
Her remarks have sparked widespread backlash, particularly as tensions continue to rise amid recurring xenophobic attacks against Nigerians and other foreign nationals in the country.
Critics warn that such rhetoric risks inflaming divisions and undermining efforts to promote unity across the continent.
