Government and stakeholders assure public of safety ahead of planned protest

Government, protest organisers and traditional leaders have urged calm and appealed to the public not to panic ahead of Tuesday’s anti-illegal immigration protest, assuring South Africans that law enforcement is ready and that the demonstration is expected to remain peaceful.

Fears that Tuesday’s protest could be accompanied by violence and looting were eased following assurances from key stakeholders that criminal behaviour would not be tolerated.

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President Cyril Ramaphosa on Monday assured citizens that law enforcement agencies would act swiftly should criminal elements hijack the protest for criminal ends.

“Where there is criminal conduct, those responsible will be held accountable and the law will take its course,” he said.

Despite there being no formal notice from protest organisers to stage a demonstration in Pietermaritzburg, law enforcement remained on full alert.

uMgungundlovu District police spokesperson Sergeant Sifiso Gwala said even though police were not aware of any protest in the district scheduled for today, they are “fully prepared for any eventuality”.

Our members across all the police stations in the district will be on high alert.

“Should there be any gathering or protest, we will ensure that no law is broken,” he said.

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With the main KwaZulu-Natal protest set for Durban, the bulk of local residents affiliated to the anti-illegal immigration organisation March and March are expected to head there.

Despite this, the Msunduzi Municipality traffic department activated security measures at midnight.
Sources within the department told The Witness that all municipal traffic officers on leave had been instructed to report for duty on Tuesday.

“Our priority would be to ensure the safety of motorists and the public at large,” the source said.

During the build-up to Tuesday’s protest, fears had mounted that the demonstration could turn violent, particularly given strong anti-undocumented foreign national sentiments in KwaZulu-Natal.

However, following the intervention of Zulu King Misuzulu kaZwelithini — who instructed his subjects to ensure there was no violence or looting during the protest — the likelihood of unrest appeared to diminish late on Monday.

The King’s intervention prompted members of the KZN Provincial House of Traditional and Khoi-San Leaders to convene a media briefing in Durban.

Addressing the media, Inkosi Nkosinathi Bhengu said traditional leaders had made it clear to protest organisers that violence would not be tolerated.

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As the traditional leaders we want to see order in society. For a long time, we have been concerned about the extent to which our country’s immigration laws were being violated.

“There can’t be order in society when there are so many people who are undocumented.

“It’s for this reason that we support the protest. Having said that, we also made it clear to the protest organisers that the protest must be peaceful.

“If anyone breaks the law during the protest then they should face the consequences,” he said.

March and March Hanniville leader Mxolisi Nxumalo told The Witness there would be no march in Pietermaritzburg.

“There will be no march in Pietermaritzburg. We will be joining the main march in Durban,” said Nxumalo.

The announcement came after several foreign-owned shops in Hanniville closed their doors on Monday amid fears of unrest linked to the planned protest.

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The precautionary closures followed calls by the March and March movement for stricter enforcement of South Africa’s immigration laws and the removal of undocumented foreign nationals.

Nxumalo said the closures reflected growing frustration among some community members over what they described as the continued influx of illegal foreigners into the township.

The fact that these shops have closed shows that indigenous people are tired of the continuous influx of illegal foreigners.

“Communities are demanding that the government enforce immigration laws and prioritise South Africans,” he said.

He said the Durban march forms part of a broader campaign calling for stronger enforcement of immigration laws and urged supporters to protest peacefully, warning that criminal activity or intimidation would not be tolerated.

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On Monday, The Witness visited the Mayor’s Walk Malawian refugee camp in Pietermaritzburg, where Malawians voiced growing concerns over delays in the deportation process, warning that prolonged stays at the temporary site were exposing them to illness and worsening living conditions.

Many said conditions at the camp were becoming increasingly difficult as hundreds continued to wait for transport back to Malawi.

Despite the hardships they have experienced, those interviewed said they did not intend to return to South Africa after being repatriated.

Meanwhile, IFP PR councillor Shameel Ally said the growing number of foreign nationals arriving at the temporary camp from outside Pietermaritzburg was placing increasing pressure on the facility.

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Over the past 10 days, Ally said, there had been a noticeable increase in Malawian nationals relocating to the camp, despite many not having previously lived in the city.