30 July 2026 | 13:11 CAT
3-minute read

A peaceful demonstration outside the SADC Summit in Durban has sparked debate about the balance between security measures and the constitutional right to protest, after members of the South African Palestine Movement said they were met with a heavy police presence and instructed to move from their original protest site.

The protest took place near the Durban ICC during the regional summit, which brought together leaders and officials from across Southern Africa. According to the movement, the small group of demonstrators was raising concerns about xenophobia, afrophobia and human rights in the region, as well as expressing solidarity with displaced refugees in Durban.

Speaking on Radio Islam International, South African Palestine Movement executive committee member Zainab Tayob described the police response as intimidating.

“We were just a group of 10,” she said, adding that several police vans were already waiting when the protesters arrived.

South Africa’s Constitution guarantees the right to assemble, demonstrate, picket and present petitions peacefully and unarmed. The Regulation of Gatherings Act sets out procedures for public gatherings, but peaceful pickets generally do not require special permission. Civil rights organisations have long argued that policing of protests should be proportionate and should facilitate, rather than obstruct, lawful assembly.

Tayob said the group had followed the same procedures used for its regular Friday Palestine pickets across Durban. “You have a right to protest. You have a right to nonviolent protesting. It is part of our South African constitution,” she said.

She said that police officers instructed the protesters not to use their sound equipment and warned that it could be confiscated. The group was then directed to move to a nearby park area, which they believed would reduce the visibility of their message to summit delegates and officials.

After relocating across the road, Tayob said the protesters were again told to leave the area within ten minutes. Officers remained nearby until the group dispersed.

The incident occurred against the backdrop of heightened national tensions over immigration, xenophobia and community vigilantism. Durban has recently witnessed protests and public disputes involving undocumented migrants and refugee communities, prompting calls for government intervention and protection of vulnerable groups.

Tayob said the movement had been working with other non-governmental organisations to support displaced refugees in the Che Guevara Road area and wanted to demonstrate that many South Africans rejected xenophobia. “We do not stand for xenophobia. We do not stand for astrophobia. We are a rainbow nation,” she said.

The protesters later moved to the ANC regional offices in Durban, hoping to engage with officials, but Tayob said no representative came out to meet them.

South African Police Service and summit authorities had not publicly commented on the specific allegations at the time of publication. Extensive security operations typically accompany major international and regional summits, and police often establish controlled zones around venues hosting heads of state and ministers.

Tayob said the movement was consulting legal colleagues and considering further action. She maintained that the protest remained peaceful throughout and argued that the police response raised broader questions about how constitutional rights are exercised during high-security political events.

Legal experts note that disputes of this nature often turn on whether police restrictions were reasonable and necessary in the circumstances. Any formal challenge would likely require a detailed assessment of the security arrangements around the summit venue and the conduct of both protesters and officers on the day.

Listen to the full interview with Zainab Tayob on Sabaahul Muslim, presented by Moulana Sulaimaan Ravat.