March and March, AfriForum and the Dangerous Rise of Ethnic Politics in South Africa

Society & Political Ethics

March and March and the Allure of Ethnic Politics: A Dangerous Slippery Slope?

Editorial Analysis: Opinion Desk  
  Focus: Political Alliances, Nationalism & Social Unity  
  Published: August 2026

Editorial Overview: AfriForum CEO Kallie Kriel and March and March leader Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma recently met to discuss cooperation on legal issues, the rule of law, and community safety. While there is nothing inherently wrong with the two organizations finding common ground, Ngobese-Zuma’s recent call for ethnic group-specific universities has raised major red flags. Such proposals threaten to fuel ethnic mobilization, playing directly into the hands of toxic nationalism and institutional segregation.

The Government of National Unity (GNU) was originally presented to the nation as a pragmatic arrangement designed to protect South Africa’s political stability following the highly contested 2024 elections. Yet, its critics see something far more calculated: an effort to keep left-leaning parties from gaining greater influence over the levers of government, and a shield to protect established economic interests.

IDEOLOGICAL CROSSROADS: When political pragmatism overrides core ideologies, constituencies are often left betrayed. The recent meeting between March and March and AfriForum has sparked intense debate over the future of South Africa's social cohesion.

This arrangement has also been replicated across provinces, producing highly unlikely partnerships. The uncomfortable lesson is now clear: parties that campaign on vastly different ideological platforms can readily put those differences aside when political power and access to government resources are at stake. In the process, they risk completely betraying the constituencies whose votes brought them to power.

Alliances Ethnic Universities Precedent State Failure Verdict

Crossing Ideological Boundaries

The contradiction of modern political pragmatism was starkly illustrated this week when the anti-illegal migration movement, March and March, sat down with AfriForum.

March and March, a movement deeply rooted in grassroots frustration over illegal migration, held a meeting with AfriForum—an organization most strongly associated with protecting Afrikaner interests. The meeting generated immediate criticism from political commentators and the public.

Discussions on the Rule of Law According to reports, the meeting between Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma and Kallie Kriel focused on cooperation regarding legal issues, the rule of law, and community safety. Ngobese-Zuma indicated that the movement is prepared to consider operational and structural ideas from AfriForum.

Not an Unprecedented Move

While the alliance between a grassroots migration movement and an Afrikaner lobby group may seem unlikely, it follows a recent pattern of shocking political engagements.

Earlier this year, the South African political landscape was equally stunned when uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party leader, former President Jacob Zuma, held a meeting with AfriForum chief executive Kallie Kriel.

Pragmatism Over Principle The MK Party has firmly positioned itself on the radical left of the political spectrum. Making engagements with right-leaning or Afrikaner-interest organizations serves as another stark reminder that political pragmatism can easily cross deeply entrenched ideological boundaries when it suits a broader agenda.

The Danger of Ethnic Segregation

Whether the March and March-AfriForum engagement signals a broader shift towards right-wing politics remains to be seen, but specific policy proposals are already causing alarm.

The most concerning element of Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma’s recent rhetoric is her comments advocating for universities that cater exclusively to particular ethnic groups. This is a massive red flag for anyone committed to a united, democratic South Africa.

Segregation Dressed as Empowerment The idea of building universities exclusively for Zulus, Pedis, Tswanas, or other specific ethnic groups is not empowerment; it is segregation dressed up as self-determination. South Africa’s brutal history of apartheid should have taught the nation that building state institutions around ethnicity creates impenetrable barriers rather than opportunities.

Righteous Frustration, Toxic Solutions

There is a legitimate space for civil movements to hold the government accountable, but the methods and ideologies adopted define their ultimate legacy.

March and March has every democratic right to challenge government failures and demand immediate action on critical issues like illegal migration and crime, which severely affect working-class citizens.

Turning Neighbors Into Rivals However, if its response to state failure is to embrace ethnic politics, it risks undermining its own constituency. A movement that claims to speak for ordinary South Africans should be focused on bringing people together to solve systemic issues, not encouraging them to retreat into separate, hostile ethnic camps.

THE EDITORIAL VERDICT

The Slippery Slope of Toxic Nationalism

The recent engagements between March and March and AfriForum highlight a deeply concerning trend in South African politics: the rapid abandonment of foundational ideologies in pursuit of pragmatic power, and the rising allure of ethnic mobilization.

While cross-aisle cooperation on issues of crime and the rule of law is a democratic necessity, it must never come at the cost of the nation's fragile social cohesion. Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma’s call for ethnic-specific universities is a terrifying echo of a past South Africa fought decades to dismantle. True empowerment lies in building robust, inclusive institutions that uplift all citizens, regardless of their tribe or tongue.

South Africa has suffered enough from political systems that turn neighbors into rivals. Leaders claiming to represent the marginalized must recognize that retreating into ethnic silos is not a cure for state failure; it is a catalyst for deeper division and eventual collapse.

@ Sona Headlines | Society & Political Ethics Desk

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