March and March leader, Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma, has rejected claims that the organisation’s demonstrations against undocumented immigrants are xenophobic.
Speaking outside the Diakonia Centre in central Durban, Ngobese-Zuma insists the group’s campaign is aimed at undocumented immigrants and not foreign nationals who are legally in South Africa.
She accused critics of misrepresenting the organisation’s message, saying March and March is calling for the government to take stronger action against undocumented immigrants and to tighten border security.
“ Look, I think anyone who’s calling this xenophobic by all means it is up to them to call it xenophobic, but we’re not going to sit back and allow this to continue happening in our country because we can’t have a country being turned into a refugee site for all failed African countries. We have become a dumping ground for any other African country that’s got problems. This is not normal what you’re seeing here, and if there’s any South African who’s been in an African country and then seen this anywhere, I dare them to say which African country that is. We are expected to accept all kinds of nonsense.”
VIDEO | March and March says illegal immigrants should go back to their countries of origin:
Meanwhile, foreign nationals who had gathered at the Diakonia Centre in central Durban are being transported by bus to a refugee reception centre on Moore Road following an announcement by eThekwini Mayor, Cyril Xaba, earlier on Thursday.
The relocation is taking place under heavy police guard, with officers forming a barrier between foreign nationals boarding the buses and crowds of South Africans gathered nearby.
Some members of the crowd cheered as people boarded the buses, while police monitored the tense situation.
Although many eventually boarded, some foreign nationals initially resisted and appeared reluctant to get on the buses.
One of the group leaders, Princess Adjei, says some people became fearful after seeing others being pushed while boarding.
“ You just have to make the people have a queue and then go into it slowly, but when you start pushing and pulling, they’re scared because number one, they don’t know where they’re going to. Number two, we were told that the Home Affairs is coming here to examine documents but now there are buses that are taking us somewhere we do not know. So, I think most of them are scared.”
-Report by Gcinokuhle Malinga
