As tensions surrounding illegal immigration continue to rise across parts of South Africa, speculation over a planned shutdown of Newcastle scheduled for Tuesday, 12 May 2026, has now been firmly dispelled.
The Newcastle Municipality has confirmed that no disruption will take place, with the situation instead being redirected towards two organised, peaceful marches.
According to reporting by Newcastillian News on 30 April 2026, initial plans to shut down the town stemmed from concerns raised by organisers over what they describe as insufficient enforcement of informal trading regulations within Newcastle.
In particular, allegations were made that certain traders are allegedly involved in the sale of illegal substances, including drugs, while others are said to be operating without the necessary registration with the Newcastle Municipality.
Beyond these claims, organisers further argued that compliant informal traders are being placed under undue pressure, reportedly suffering financial losses due to what they view as weak regulatory oversight.
In addition, they maintain that the current environment has contributed to legitimate traders being unfairly associated with individuals allegedly engaged in unlawful activity. Broader concerns relating to municipal governance and enforcement practices have also been raised within this context.
However, while confirming that Newcastle will not be shut down on Tuesday, 12 May 2026, nor on Wednesday, 13 March 2026, the municipality has clarified that it is fully aware of two planned peaceful marches set to proceed as scheduled.
The first march will take place on 12 May 2026, with participants expected to assemble at the Newcastle Bus Rank before proceeding towards the park in Hospital Street, where the gathering will formally disperse.
The second march is scheduled for Wednesday, 13 March 2026, with participants set to convene at the corner of Marconi and Albert Wessels Drive. From there, the procession will move towards the open space opposite All Wear, where the event will conclude.
“These marches are organised by members of the community in collaboration with the Newcastle Hawkers Association. The marches intend to raise awareness with respect to concerns relating to illegal immigration and its impact on local businesses and the community, as well as illegal activities affecting the youth,” stated the Newcastle Municipality.
Providing further context, Lebo Ngwenya told Newcastillian News that community frustrations were first formally escalated in 2025, when residents staged a large march to the Newcastle Municipality and submitted a memorandum of demands.
These concerns, she explained, centred not only on illegal immigration in Newcastle but also on the broader socio-economic impact being felt within the town.
With the planned shutdown now replaced by two structured marches, Ngwenya stressed the importance of broad community participation.
She stated, “Newcastle is filthy. Informal traders are operating along main roads in Newcastle, such as Allen Street, and in the industrial area. This is against the bylaws, as their wares could spill into the road and cause accidents. It also blocks access to established shops and businesses, harming their trade. These traders earn profits without paying registration fees or taxes to the municipality, while formal business owners must meet all their monthly obligations. Additionally, some illegal foreigners are operating among South African citizens and legal immigrants, selling drugs to people in town, including children.”
She further drew attention to conditions within the central business district.
“The town itself is filthy. One just needs to walk into any of the arcades or shopping centres in the CBD near the taxi rank to see this. There is sewage, rubbish everywhere, and people taking drugs openly,” she emphasised noting illegal informal traders, some of which were undocumented foreign nationals and were allegedly most responsible for the mess.
As previously reported by Newcastillian News in November 2025, a journalist from the publication, accompanied by security officials, observed individuals injecting illegal narcotics along Kirkland Street at the Mosque Parking Lot.
At the time, a local business owner alleged that such incidents occurred on a daily basis without meaningful consequences.
Ngwenya has since called for unity among residents across all suburbs, urging collective participation in the upcoming marches.
“We as a community cannot allow this to continue. We pay rates, and we will not stop fighting until we get our town back. We want to clean it up, address service delivery and tariffs, and deal with the illegal foreigners operating in town — many of whom are bringing drugs into the country. We are not driving a xenophobic agenda. The march will be peaceful, and everyone is welcome. Our goal is to sort Newcastle out: remove illegal immigrants who work as informal traders and sell drugs to our children, ensure service delivery improves, and restore a clean and tidy CBD,” she concluded.
Against this backdrop, the municipality’s Communications Unit has sought to provide reassurance to residents and stakeholders, emphasising continuity of daily operations.
“The municipality would like to reassure the community and other stakeholders that economic activities will continue as normal. All businesses, schools, public services, transport operations, and municipal activities are expected to continue functioning. Residents are encouraged to continue with their daily activities without fear or uncertainty. The municipality remains committed to maintaining peace, stability, and public order while supporting the constitutional right to peaceful assembly and demonstration,” the statement read.
At the same time, the Communications Unit has urged all participants and members of the public to conduct themselves peacefully and lawfully throughout the duration of the marches, underscoring the importance of order and compliance with regulations.
In closing, while the planned shutdown has been averted in favour of structured demonstrations, attention now shifts to ensuring that both marches proceed in an orderly and controlled manner. The municipality’s assurances of business-as-usual operations underscore a broader effort to balance the constitutional right to peaceful assembly with the uninterrupted functioning of essential services.
Nevertheless, the situation remains one that requires careful coordination between organisers, law enforcement, and municipal structures to maintain stability throughout both days of mobilisation.
Motorists are, however, advised to exercise heightened caution when travelling along or near the identified routes on Tuesday, 12 May 2026, and Wednesday, 13 March 2026.
Although the marches are expected to be peaceful, increased pedestrian activity, temporary congestion, and possible delays in affected areas may be anticipated during peak movement periods.
Road users are encouraged to plan alternative routes where possible, allow additional travel time, and remain alert to instructions from law enforcement officers managing traffic flow.
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One Response
Let’s start with informal trading.
It’s disgusting to see not only the foreign nationals and all their stalls in town, just look at the shoprite area( village walk) where there are ‘barbers’ cutting hair under gazebos their “clients” urinating against walls in public, the beer being consumed under those gazebos, they too selfish to think about the general public who pay rates instead they leave a mess and we as paying community members must face this disgusting site why cause they believe everything is for free, they complain when something gets said quick to pull the racist cards, however if they want to be in decent urban areas they should respect accordingly. Where is the self respect of the community, there is a field in Kirkland street being made into a dumpsite for building rubble very untidy and soon will become a general dumpsite for all kinds of rubbish and people living in the area traveling to their homes must just accept this. Maybe these shutdown organizers must start looking closer to home and stop blaming everything on the foreign nationals. Drive down Albert Wessels see how the ladies and men South African sell food with no proper hygiene, no toilet or running water, yet they allowed to sell cooked food from under trees ect, so disgusting to say the least. Shut these people down or is it cause they are South Africans they are allowed too just sell and set up stalls as they please.