Tensions have escalated in South Africa’s Eastern Cape Province following a controversial coronation of an Igbo traditional ruler, as protesters stormed the streets demanding the immediate deportation of Nigerians linked to the event and warning of possible violent resistance if authorities fail to act.
The protest, led by members of the political group ActionSA alongside traditional leaders and community members, comes amid growing outrage over what demonstrators described as an affront to the sovereignty, constitutional order, and traditional leadership structures of the province.
Speaking to SABC News during the demonstration, one of the protesters declared solidarity with local traditional authorities while condemning the coronation, which reportedly took place in East London, also referred to as KuGompo City.
“First of all, we are here in solidarity with the traditional leadership of the Eastern Cape, all of the traditional leaders, and also the people of the Eastern Cape,” the protester said in a video making the rounds on the internet.
“Let me just put up front that ActionSA’s policy about illegal immigration is very clear. If you are in this country illegally, and you do anything illegal, you are going to be sent back home.
“This is a sovereign nation. It is our nation, we love it, and we are protected by a constitution.
“There is nowhere in our constitution that makes provision for a Nigerian from the Igbo tribe to come and become coronated as a king of the Eastern Cape.”
The protester further alleged that statements made during the coronation heightened tensions, accusing organisers of attempting to establish a parallel authority structure within the province.
“But beyond that, the utterances that were made at that coronation is what really galls us as a party, as ActionSA.
“The utterances were that they are establishing a kingship in the Eastern Cape and a homeland.
“We have a history of homelands in this province, a painful history of the homeland of the former Siskind, the former Transkind, where people were moved in there after being expropriated, having their land expropriated.
“They had limited opportunities, they are still some of the poorest people in our province, and we are not going to tolerate the establishment of another homeland.”
Drawing parallels with apartheid-era policies, the protester warned against any perceived attempt to recreate ethnically defined territories.
“They went further, though, and they said that they are going to encourage their brothers and sisters in Nigeria, in their hundreds of thousands, to come and establish a homeland in this province,” the protester said.
“That is not going to happen, because this province is not up for the taking. Here are our traditional leaders behind me.
“We respect them, there are five kingships that are respected by the president, inaugurated and recognized by our President and our constitution.”
The protester also dismissed claims reportedly attributed to the Nigerian diplomatic mission that the coronation was merely symbolic.
“So, I want to go further to say that the embassy of Nigeria said that it was just a customary thing, it wasn’t much, and they do it all over the world. It is not true,” the protester said.
“We have taken great exception to the disrespect and the provocation of this coronation, and we want the Nigerian government to come out strongly against it.
“More importantly, we want our government to make an unambiguous statement about their respect and recognition of our existing traditional leaders, and that they will never respect a kingship belonging to the Igbo nation in the Eastern Cape or in South Africa.”
In a separate address, Prince Xhanti Sigcawu from the Amathole House of Traditional Leaders, reinforced calls for immediate government action, describing the incident as a direct violation of South Africa’s sovereignty and legal framework.
“I want to highlight that our sovereignty is true to the statutes and dictates of the Constitution of South Africa and the laws governing this country,” he said.
“No one can come from wherever that person comes from and come here and undermine the authority of this country, especially this kingdom.
“We are led here by King Vululu Andesandi, who is the great-great-grandchild of King Palo Kakos.”
Sigcawu demanded the expulsion of all individuals involved in the coronation, regardless of their immigration status.
He said, “We are really appealing to our government to see to it that whoever participated in this illegal coronation of the so-called king is removed from the borders of this country with immediate effect, whether that person came legal or not.
“Secondly, we are appealing to our government to look at all spaza shops, including businesses that are run by foreigners, to see whether these foreigners are documented or not.
“Thirdly, in the rural villages, we have people who are running spaza shops and hardware stores who are also foreign nationals.”
He warned that failure by authorities to act could trigger unrest among local communities.
“We are appealing to the law enforcement authorities to immediately deal with those before people can take the law into their own hands. No one can undermine our authority,” he said.
“We have been visiting various countries in the world, and we have never undermined anyone’s authority.”
Sigcawu accused foreign nationals, particularly Nigerians of Igbo descent, of undermining traditional leadership structures and destabilising the region.
“This event of the past week really shows that these foreign nationals, especially the Igbo people from Nigeria, undermine the authority of our kingship, and they want to see this country in turmoil,” he said.
“We want to avoid turmoil because we will really take up arms if this is not immediately attended to.”
Reiterating the demand for deportation, the protester stressed that the coronation had no legal or cultural legitimacy within the context of South Africa’s traditional governance system.
“Hence, we are appealing to our government to take these people out of the borders of this country, especially those who participated in this uncalled-for event of coronating a king in another territory that belongs to a king,” he said.
“The issue here, which a lot of people had raised, and of course, traditional leaders had raised, was that what had happened in the previous weeks, seeing that video of a so-called Nigerian king being installed in his position here in East London or Kokombo City, showed you know that it was undermining traditional leadership in the Eastern Cape.”
Sigcawu described widespread anger among local traditional institutions, saying the incident had deeply offended indigenous authority structures.
“Indeed, we are really pissed off with the circumstances of the past weeks,” he said.
“We really feel undermined because there is no one who can really undermine someone’s sovereignty.
“This is the territory of Amakosa led by King Vululu Andesandile from the Amakakabe House, which is the right-hand house of King Paolo.”
He added that traditional leaders across different houses shared the outrage.
“I’m coming from the great house of King Paolo, which is the Talega House, but I am not here to represent the Talega House, but as a traditional leader who is leading Amatole local house, I am really really pissed off, including the membership of the house that I lead, that Nigerians, especially could come to the territory of King Sandile and claim to have a king here,” he said.
Once again, the protester called for swift deportation measures.
“We are appealing to our government to really make it a point that whoever formed part of that event is taken out of the borders of this country with immediate effect, because no one can really undermine the authority of our king,” he said.
He further linked the issue to broader concerns about undocumented migrants and alleged criminal activities.
“Also, we are aware that most of the foreigners are involved in drugs. We want our law enforcement authorities to make it a point that they check whoever is here, especially the foreigners, whether they are on drugs and those who are trading illegally, including, you know, those who are running spaza shops, whether their spaza shops are legal or not,” Sigcawu said.
“If our government can really take us seriously.”
The controversy has reignited long-standing tensions in South Africa over immigration, economic competition, and the role of foreign nationals in local communities. It also raises complex legal questions about cultural expression, diaspora identity, and the limits of traditional authority within a constitutional democracy.
As of the time of filing this report, South African authorities had yet to issue an official response to the protesters’ demands, while the Nigerian government has also not publicly addressed the escalating situation.
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