Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba has met organisers of a contentious march against foreign nationals planned for Friday in Pretoria, and appealed for calm. He said issues raised by the organisers‚ Mamelodi Concerned Residents‚ were around competition for jobs‚ access to economic opportunities and alleged criminal activities, including accusations of drug-peddling and prostitution, involving foreign nationals.
Dozens of foreign-owned shops and properties have been attacked in Atteridgeville‚ Mamelodi and Pretoria West in the past week‚ raising concerns of an outbreak of xenophobic violence. The minister said the government was deeply concerned about possible unrest, which might result in loss of life and damage to property.
This was why Cabinet had expressed full support for his department, as well as for the justice‚ crime prevention and security cluster, to move speedily in resolving issues to the satisfaction of all communities.
"Government responded speedily to the latest outbreak of violence. We have directed all security officials to be visible in communities and to objectively deal with criminality‚ regardless of whether it is committed by a South African or a foreign national‚" Gigaba said in Cape Town on Thursday.
He said that as was the case in other parts of the world‚ migration had taken centre stage. Immigration had proved to be an emotive and contentious issue globally: "It has been used to divide citizens‚ with the view that it poses a serious threat and socio-economic challenges for receiving countries. SA is not unique in this regard."
"Many countries are wrestling with anti-immigrant sentiments. Its manifestations may be seen in some of the issues affecting communities‚ and are also discernible in the issues exploited to perpetrate criminal activities," he said. "We must respond in a humane and lawful manner‚ taking cognisance of the genuine frustrations of communities."
Gigaba said there would be no gain from xenophobic violence‚ pointing out that the opportunists who take part in violence erode the human face the nation had struggled hard to acquire: "While a more measured approach may not make me the most popular politician‚ I believe it is the right thing to do."
The minister called for compliance with the constitution and other laws of the country‚ by citizens and foreign nationals, saying his department had "prioritised documentation of persons in SA‚ and deportation of those who are undocumented". He said 33,339 illegal immigrants had been deported in the 2015-16 financial year.
TMG Digital
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