By Mzi Velapi and Meagan Stuurman

The Western Cape Coalition Against Xenophobia (WCC-AX) is raising alarm over the conduct of the South African Police Service in Robertson and surrounding towns, which it likens to that of the United States of America’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency (ICE). This follows the arrest and months-long detention of up to 200 foreign migrants by the police in the area, according to the group.

WCC-AX claims that foreign migrants, mainly from Zimbabwe but also including people from Malawi, Mozambique and Lesotho, have been languishing in jail in Robertson and surrounding Winelands towns since their arrest around 30 June as part of the state response to the anti-immigration protests that March & March and Operation Dudula led. The anti-immigration movement declared 30 June as the deadline for all foreign nationals to leave the country.
The Inter-Ministerial Committee on Migration announced, even before the xenophobic deadline, that arrests of “illegal foreign nationals” would be intensified. A press statement from the Committee on 14 June reported that over 40 000 illegal foreign nationals had been arrested since the beginning of 2026, with over 7 400 arrests in the past month alone (May).

The United States of America’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency is leading the Trump administration’s mass deportation initiative, often in public places, resulting in several clashes with protesters opposed to the agency’s operations.

The Western Cape Coalition Against Xenophobia alleged that the rights of foreign migrants have been trampled upon, as they are denied medication and basic supplies, including sanitary pads and food.
The Robertson police denied the claims and said they have allowed food brought by relatives and supporters of detainees, but because so many people come to visit, access must be managed.
“The Station Commander has confirmed that food brought by relatives is permitted, subject to a controlled process, and that visits are allowed but are managed due to the large number of family members seeking access to detainees,” said police.
WCC-AX said the SAPS is not managing the acceptance of goods because the process is arbitrary, with some police officers refusing and others sympathetic to the detainees’ plight.

“The acceptance of goods, including medication, has been entirely arbitrary, with some police simply refusing to accept items, going so far as to say they ‘don’t care’, while other police have acknowledged this pattern and acted differently, but all entirely at their own discretion, apparently,” said WCC-AX.

Sheriff Ramaobi, an activist in the area, confirmed that they had been told they could not bring anything to the detainees in custody.
“One of our colleagues who visited a prison cell in Robertson asked whether we bring medication or food supplies to our migrant brothers and sisters. The police denied it. Other police stations, such as McGregor and Montagu, strictly said that we’re not allowed. We are not allowed to give any support to the people who are incarcerated,” she said.

The police also deny that the detainees have been unlawfully detained, stating that they have acted lawfully and in cooperation with the Department of Home Affairs.
“The foreign nationals detained for immigration-related purposes are handled in accordance with the applicable legislation and in cooperation with the Department of Home Affairs, which is responsible for immigration administration and deportation,” said SAPS.
WCC-AX disputes this, arguing that after paying the admission-of-guilt fines, they should have been released rather than detained for over two months.

“If the police wanted to continue detaining them, they should have followed the administrative procedures set out in s34 of the Immigration Act. The law requires that people be told why they are being detained and what their rights are, including the right to challenge the deportation decision and to legal representation. Their continued detention must be reviewed in court, with an opportunity to make representations. This did not happen. That’s why their continued detention is unlawful,” said WCC-AX.

WCC-AX demands

Some of the key demands of the Western Cape Coalition Against Xenophobia include the release of the detainees and the requirement for SAPS members to “stop acting like members of March and March (and ICE in the US)” and to act within the law.
The anti-xenophobia group is also calling for the suspension of the police officers responsible for the violation of the law and human rights, and for them to be subjected to an inquiry. They are also calling for the South African Human Rights Commission to investigate the human rights abuse.
“The Minister of Home Affairs must explain why his departmental officials conflate criminal and administrative proceedings, contrary to the Immigration Act,” says the organisation.

CSAAWU calls for urgent and coordinated intervention

The farming sector is the region’s largest employer, and most foreign nationals in the area work in agriculture. The Commercial, Stevedoring, Agricultural and Allied Workers Union (CSAAWU) says it is deeply concerned about the imprisonment of foreign nationals in prisons in the Cape Winelands.
“As a trade union committed to protecting workers’ rights, human rights and dignity, CSAAWU is fundamentally opposed to any violation of migrant workers’ rights. Migrant workers are workers, and their nationality or immigration status should never be used to deny them their fundamental rights, including due process, access to justice and humane treatment,” said CSAAWU’s General Secretary, Deneco Dube.
As a result, the union is calling for urgent intervention by all the stakeholders.
“We believe these allegations require urgent investigation by the relevant authorities and independent human-rights bodies. Where people are detained without proper judicial process or held for prolonged periods without access to justice, this constitutes a serious human-rights concern that cannot be ignored,” said Dube.