Amnesty International South Africa has urged government to immediately stop vigilante groups from targeting migrants and businesses, citing a rise in unlawful, violent actions.

Executive director Shenilla Mohamed warned that failure to take decisive action against a growing trend of vigilantism is encouraging further human rights violations. The organisation is demanding that police investigate and hold perpetrators accountable.

The crisis intensified ahead of a June 30 deadline issued by the group March and March, which ordered undocumented migrants to leave South Africa.

With the deadline passing, coordinated intimidation, harassment, and anti-migrant protests continue to disrupt communities, the organisation notes.

Mohamed emphasised that government statements are no longer enough to deter these groups.

“Authorities must move beyond statements of concern and demonstrate through effective investigations, prosecutions and accountability measures that no person or group is above the law,” she said.

Amnesty International cited the Immigration Act, which prohibits private citizens or groups from enforcing immigration laws.

This means private individuals cannot demand identity documents, enter private property, or evict people from homes and businesses and only designated immigration officers and members of the South African Police Service hold legal enforcement authority.

The organisation is calling for urgent interventions from State authorities, highlighting that allegations of police officers ignoring illegal acts or actively colluding with vigilante groups must face thorough criminal and disciplinary reviews.

The organisation wants the State to protect the right of business owners to operate safely without harassment, while upholding the right to dignity, freedom, and security for every person living in South Africa.

“Human dignity has no nationality and we cannot allow the unfettered violation of rights to continue,” Mohamed said.

She said where concerns exist about a person's immigration status, these must be addressed through lawful procedures that respect constitutional rights and human dignity.

“Even where individuals may be found to be undocumented, they remain entitled to rights protected under the Constitution and international human rights law, including due process, dignity and protection from violence and abuse,” she reminded.

Amnesty International South Africa and other civil society organisations have repeatedly warned that inflammatory rhetoric, anti-migrant mobilisation and weak State responses risk fuelling discrimination, violence and further human rights violations.