Phakelumthakathi Reacts to Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma Rift Reports After Ramaphosa Meeting
· YEN.com.gh News · Join- Nkosikhona Phakelumthakathi Ndabandaba rejected speculation that he had been turned against March and March Movement leader Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma
- A meeting between him, Ngizwe Mchunu, and President Cyril Ramaphosa in Pretoria on June 29, ahead of the June 30 protests, sparked speculation
- Addressing protesters in Durban, Phakelumthakathi denied being bribed and promised to give more details on the Ramaphosa talks at a press briefing
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Nkosikhona Phakelumthakathi Ndabandaba has firmly pushed back against speculation that he was being manoeuvred away from Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma, the leader of the March and March Movement, insisting that such efforts would not gain any traction with him.
Source: Facebook
The denial came after widespread online debate erupted over a meeting he attended alongside Ngizwe Mchunu and President Cyril Ramaphosa in Pretoria on Monday, 29 June 2026, just one day before scheduled nationwide protests on 30 June.
Ramaphosa meets organisers over June 30 protests
The absence of Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma from the Pretoria talks drew immediate scrutiny on social media, with many South Africans questioning why the movement's leader had not been included in the discussions.
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Some users went further, alleging that Phakelumthakathi may have been financially compromised as a result of the meeting, a suggestion he rejected without hesitation.
Speaking directly to thousands of protesters gathered in Durban, he dismissed the allegations and stated that financial inducements held no sway over him.
"I will never be bought. I have my farm and animals, so I do not lack money."
He also committed to disclosing the substance of his conversation with President Ramaphosa at a press briefing scheduled for the following day.
Source: Facebook
March and March protest continues as scheduled
Phakelumthakathi and Ngizwe Mchunu led significant gatherings of demonstrators across Johannesburg on 30 June, with protests recorded in areas including Kwa Mai Mai and Hillbrow.
The demonstrations were directed against the presence of undocumented foreign nationals in South Africa and formed part of a broader wave of public action calling on authorities to enforce immigration laws more rigorously.
Despite the political tension surrounding the Pretoria meeting and the questions it raised about internal cohesion within the movement, Phakelumthakathi maintained that neither he nor the movement had changed course.
He insisted that attempts to create a wedge between himself and Ngobese-Zuma, a former radio presenter and civic activist based in Durban, would not succeed.
See the X (Twitter) video of Phakelumthakathi addressing speculation over his meeting with President Ramaphosa below:
Meanwhile, the demonstrations took place across major South African metropolitan hubs.
The media covered protests in areas such as Durban, Johannesburg, Pretoria, Cape Town, and Ekurhuleni (Tembisa).
Watch below for a YouTube video of how the anti-immigrant protest happened on June 30, 2026.
Jacinta reacts as Zimbabwe retaliates against SA
Earlier, YEN.com.gh Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma criticised Zimbabweans for pushing to stop Mafikizolo's Victoria Falls concert amid anti-immigrant tension in South Africa.
Zimbabwean content creator Sis Melly's Diaries amplified calls for the South African duo's July 5 Econet Zimbabwe show to be cancelled, which eventually happened.
Ngobese-Zuma's Facebook post complaining about the backlash South African performers were facing sparked outrage from Zimbabweans and other Africans online.
Proofreading by Bruce Douglas, copy editor at YEN.com.gh.
Source: YEN.com.gh