Anti-xenophobia activists, organisations call for home affairs minister to step down
News 24 – 30 March 2022
- Anti-xenophobia activists marched in the streets of Johannesburg to demand the home affairs minister be fired.
- The march was in response to Operation Dudula.
- The crowd marched from Peter Ross Park to the Museum of Africa.
Activists and various organisations came out in numbers to march against the recent xenophobic attacks and also handed in a memorandum at the Hillbrow police station which called for the home affairs minister to step down.
The memorandum was first handed to the police at Hillbrow and later at the Johannesburg Central police station, where Nhlanhla Lux, the leader of Operation Dudula, is currently being held.
The activists marched, sang struggle songs and held placards. They called for an end to Operation Dudula, an anti-foreigner movement.
During the march, a member of the African Diaspora Workers Network, Janet Munakamwe, read out the memorandum which called for Aaron Motsoaledi [home affairs minister] to step down.
Munakamwe said:
The minister of home affairs must resign today. He has failed many, not only migrants, but also locals, so many do not have documents.
Anti-xenophobia activists marching at Johannesburg.
News24 Alfonso Nqunjana
Furthermore, the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department was slammed for cancelling the first anti-xenophobia march, organised by Kopanang Africa Against Xenophobia (KAAX) on Human Rights Day.
KAAX's spokesperson, Ferron Pedro, said she was hurt when she saw Operation Dudula members marching in support of hatred and injustice on the other side of the Johannesburg Central police station.
"I saw our brothers and sisters marching for hatred, marching for injustice, marching against the same things that we know are keeping us down. Foreigners are not stealing our jobs, Clover is stealing our jobs, MassMart is stealing our jobs... it is the small 1% in South Africa that owns 50% of the bulk. These people do not live in Alexandra, but they live in Sandton," Pedro said.
Members of different campaigns and organisations chanting and dancing during the march
News24 Alfonso Nqunjana
Operation Dudula members were protesting against Lux's arrest.
JMPD and SAPS officials were vigilant to ensure that Operation Dudula protesters and the anti-xenophobia march did not run into each other.
According to JMPD spokesperson Xolani Fihla, "the Kopanang Africa Against Xenophobia group diverted from the original planned route which was going to see them handing over the memorandum at Commissioner Street".
News24 Alfonso Nqunjana
News24 Alfonso Nqunjana
JMPD suspects that the reason for diverting was to confront the Operation Dudula members.
"We suspect that they changed their route knowing that members of Operation Dudula were gathered at the Johannesburg Central SAPS entrance at Commissioner Street, the Kopanang Africa Against Xenophobia March went well with no disturbances until they dispersed at Maryfitz Gerald Square," Fihla added.
The University of Johannesburg's Kate Alexander said the university stood against acts of xenophobia.
Alexander said:
The university has a long tradition of opposing xenophobia and it is proud to do so again. If we have to look at the people who are responsible for the high unemployment, we have to blame the government. It is not for us to blame people from other countries, and those who do are hypocrites.
Phone smashed
Dube Austin, a member of Restorative Justice, had an encounter with Operation Dudula members.
He alleges they confronted him for taking pictures and smashed his phone.
"Two ladies I know asked me to take picture of the Dudula members. Before I even took the pictures, I realised that these guys were going to give us a problem and I stopped, leaving the ladies behind.
"The Dudula people came straight to me and asked me what do I want here, and why am I taking photos, I told them that I am here just like everyone and I handed them my phone to check for the pictures... that is when one of them took it and just smashed it on the ground," Austin said.
He appealed to KAAX's convener, Julekha Latib, to accompany him to open a case because he was too scared