In order to get all illegal South African immigrants out of the country, several community pressure groups and smaller political parties on Thursday marched to President Cyril Ramaphosa’s offices at the Union Buildings in Pretoria, the administrative center of the country.
Thousands of protestors sang, danced, and chanted anti-foreigner chants as they made their way to Ramaphosa’s Union Building offices.
The march’s organiser, Freeman Bhengu, a member of the Sisonke People’s Forum, charged that the government was not enforcing immigration regulations.
“Our country has plenty (of) problems (including) education (and) health system. Even policing we have got problems. Add on top of that the issue of illegal immigrants. It’s not sustainable. Something has to be done,” Bhengu told newsmen.
Some foreign nationals believe the protest to be xenophobic in nature and worry that attacks on immigrants may result.
The National Secretary of Operation Dudula, a group well recognised for its expression of anti-foreigner sentiments, Zandile Dabula, denied claims that they are xenophobic.
“We need a mass deportation. That’s the most thing that we want as South Africans. We want South Africans to be prioritized especially in our health care facilities (and) schools. Dabula said.
Some protesters claimed that foreigners were responsible for violent crime in the nation.
No reports indicate that crime is disproportionately committed by foreigners, despite the fact that some crimes have been linked to foreigners. Additionally, the government has not provided evidence that immigrants significantly increase unemployment.
The demonstrators vowed to keep up their protests until Ramaphosa acceded to their demands, but he has yet to answer.
