Thousands March Across South Africa on Human Rights Day in Defence of Sovereignty Against US Pressure
JOHANNESBURG, 21 March 2026. Thousands of South Africans marched peacefully from Mary Fitzgerald Square in Johannesburg to the Constitutional Court on Saturday, with simultaneous marches in Durban, East London, and Cape Town, as the ruling African National Congress mobilised communities under...
Thousands March Across South Africa on Human Rights Day in Defence of Sovereignty Against US Pressure
JOHANNESBURG, 21 March 2026. Thousands of South Africans marched peacefully from Mary Fitzgerald Square in Johannesburg to the Constitutional Court on Saturday, with simultaneous marches in Durban, East London, and Cape Town, as the ruling African National Congress mobilised communities under the banner of "The People's March: Defending Our Sovereignty and Democratic Gains" on Human Rights Day.
The march coincided with the 66th anniversary of the Sharpeville Massacre of 21 March 1960, when apartheid police killed 69 unarmed protesters, and with what organisers described as South Africa marking 30 years since the adoption of the country's post-apartheid Constitution. The central message of the gatherings was that South Africa "will not be bullied" by external pressure, a reference to the escalating diplomatic and economic pressure applied by the administration of United States President Donald Trump.
ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula addressed marchers in Johannesburg, calling for unity in safeguarding South Africa's constitutional democracy. The Tripartite Alliance, comprising the ANC, the South African Communist Party, and the Congress of South African Trade Unions, participated jointly in the march, a display of solidarity notable given the SACP's concurrent decision to contest the 2026 local government elections independently of the ANC.
The march was the ruling alliance's most visible public response to US pressure over a series of disputes, including Washington's imposition of 30% tariffs on South African goods, the expulsion of South Africa's ambassador Ebrahim Rasool from Washington in early 2025, the offering of refugee status to white Afrikaners, and American criticism of South Africa's International Court of Justice genocide case against Israel. Business formations, faith-based organisations, and civil society movements were invited to join.
Participation varied by city. In Johannesburg, the march was well attended by ANC supporters and civic organisations. Critics noted that the ANC was using the human rights commemorations primarily as a vehicle for anti-American sentiment, while others characterised the event as a legitimate exercise of civic mobilisation on a constitutionally significant day.
Human Rights Day on 21 March annually commemorates the Sharpeville Massacre and is a public holiday in South Africa.