The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) and KwaZulu-Natal police yesterday rejected a claim by the anti-immigration movement March and March that warrants had been issued for the arrest of its founder, Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma, and her husband, Xolani Zuma.

The claim came in a statement issued on Wednesday by the movement’s national spokesperson, Sandile Dube. It said the NPA had issued the warrants and that the arrests were “a deliberate strategy from the Presidency to plunge the country into chaos” before next month’s local government elections. It did not say where the information came from. Xolani Zuma, who is also the acting chief executive of the movement’s offshoot SA First Forum, later said someone had contacted him with the information, that the couple would hand themselves over if it proved true, and that members should stay calm.

In response, NPA spokesperson, Kaizer Kganyago said: “The NPA wishes to categorically deny that any warrant of arrest was issued.” He said the authority takes no instructions from political parties or office holders, does not normally comment on possible arrests before investigations are complete, and urged organisations to stop “making unfounded allegations”. Police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda said: “As a matter of fact, police do not have a trace of any case registered against the two.” He added that “police do not engage in witch hunts” and warned activists against statements that could incite violence.

March and March, led by Ngobese-Zuma, a former Vuma FM radio presenter, has staged marches since 2025 demanding mass deportation of undocumented foreigners. It has previously claimed that there are more than 15 million in the country. The 2022 census counted about 2.4 million foreign-born people in total. Last week, the movement’s protests in Durban and Soweto against a Home Affairs directive implementing a Constitutional Court asylum ruling ended with vehicles torched and shops looted in both cities. Ngobese-Zuma denied her movement was responsible, and police said intelligence officers were identifying suspects.

No arrest had been reported by Friday morning. The NPA’s denial covers warrants only, and neither it nor the police said whether any investigation into the couple is open.