As protesters in Mamelodi prepared to march against foreigners in Pretoria on Friday‚ the Coalition of Civics Against Xenophobia says the event should not have been permitted.
"They have agreed to be peaceful‚ but it’s still xenophobic ... and it can poison relations between people‚" said Mametlwe Sebei‚ coalition co-ordinator and member of Lawyers for Human Rights.
The Mamelodi Concerned Residents plans to hand a memorandum of its concerns to the government. The group intends to assemble in Mamelodi before marching to the departments of home affairs and labour to hand over memorandums.
Many foreign shop owners in Nellmapius and Mamelodi have shut their doors‚ fearing looting. On Monday‚ groups of residents looted shops in the area while Atteridgeville residents attacked foreign homeowners last weekend.
"A march like this — I would not have granted them permission. No one has the freedom to spread hate‚" Sebei said.
He said the coalition blamed Johannesburg mayor Herman Mashaba for the spate of attacks‚ and said public figures had to be held accountable and responsible for what they said.
Meanwhile‚ the South African Police Service (SAPS) and the Tshwane metro police said measures were in place to ensure the march went smoothly.
"We decided it would be more difficult to police them if it’s an illegal march. If we grant them a permit‚ it’s also a way to hold them accountable for any action during the march‚" said Sen Supt Isaac Mahamba of the Tshwane metro police.
"They assured us they would be peaceful‚" Mahamba said.
Brig Vishnu Naidoo of the SAPS’s National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (Natjoints) said police would ensure the march was peaceful. "Members of law enforcement will be deployed along the route and at the venue where memorandums are expected to be handed over to identified recipients. Their mandate will be to maintain peace‚ safety and stability and to prevent crime‚" he said.
"We would like to take this opportunity to urge all people participating in this protest action to do so in a peaceful manner. Those taking part should also note that the carrying of dangerous weapons is prohibited and those who decide to do so will likely face criminal prosecution‚" Naidoo said.
He said any form of hate speech‚ intolerance or incitement to violence should be rejected.
"The Natjoints also urges any person or group who feel that their rights have been infringed in any manner to report such at their nearest police station and not to take the law into their own hands," he said.
Oupa Mtshweni, a member of the Mamelodi Concerned Residents organisation, said the group expected about 5,000 people to take part in the march.
TMG Digital
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