- Grace Bible Church has called on South Africans to reject violence and unlawful conduct during the planned 30 June march.
- The church says concerns over illegal migration, governance and service delivery are genuine and require urgent attention.
- Bishop Mosa Sono has condemned violence against illegal foreign migrants and urged government to respond constructively to citizens’ concerns.
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Grace Bible Church has called on South Africans to conduct themselves peacefully and within the law during the planned march on 30 June 2026, while urging government to respond meaningfully to concerns about illegal migration, governance and service delivery.
The church says the issues driving the planned demonstration reflect longstanding challenges that require constructive engagement rather than violence or intimidation.
Peaceful protest encouraged
In its statement, Grace Bible Church appealed to those participating in the march to respect the rule of law and remain vigilant against anyone seeking to exploit the demonstration for criminal purposes.
The statement reads, “The Presiding Bishop of Grace Bible Church (GBC), Mosa Sono has called on all South Africans to avoid violence and any illegal activities during the envisaged march on the 30 June 2026. The church is calling on everybody to respect the rule of law, be vigilant of those who might want to hijack the march for nefarious purposes and to be united on all fronts. We are praying for tolerance, understanding, and cooperation from all who will be participating in the march.”
The church also said it believes the departure of illegal immigrants will not solve most of the societal problems facing communities. Instead, it said stability and improved service delivery will require a recommitment from those elected to govern.
Governance failures raised
Grace Bible Church said the planned march is the culmination of governance failures that have allowed illegal migration, the growth of informal settlements and the takeover of township businesses to continue unchecked.
According to the statement, these developments have contributed to socio economic challenges including the proliferation of drugs, other criminal activity, poor service delivery, vandalism of key infrastructure and a polarised labour market in which some employers exploit illegal immigrants.
The church said government should have addressed migration challenges before the situation escalated and criticised what it described as messages that lacked empathy for the concerns of South African citizens.
Civil society concerns deserve attention
Grace Bible Church said the concerns raised by civil society should not be ignored and called on leaders to engage constructively with affected communities.
The statement says, “The matters raised by civil society, are genuine and need to be addressed accordingly. Leaders should listen to the people and produce long-term plans to restore their dignity instead of talking down to them on these pertinent issues. Their lived experience cannot be ignored and dismissed; we need to have serious conversations and produce proper resolutions to the problems our communities face every day.”
The church said it has engaged its members and communities through dialogue and expressed confidence they will demonstrate peacefully.
Violence against migrants condemned
While supporting peaceful civic engagement, Grace Bible Church said violence against foreign nationals cannot be justified under any circumstances.
Bishop Sono concluded, “It is important for us to treat other people with dignity, violence against illegal foreign migrants is unacceptable and cannot be justified. Let everyone be disciplined on the day including those given the responsibility to uphold law and order, we call upon government to listen and respond accordingly to genuine citizens’ concerns.”
The church’s statement calls for peaceful protest, respect for the rule of law and constructive engagement between government and communities as South Africa prepares for the planned march.
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