Pretoria – Civic organisations from across the country have spoken with one voice during the mass march to the Union Buildings today: it is time to put South Africans first.
Their message: “F**** to illegal immigrants. Enough is enough. United we’ll stand; foreigners must go!”
Rendani Ramashia, chairperson of the Tshwane Bahlali Dudula organisation, said the statistics pointed to South Africa sitting at 32.3% unemployment, which amounted to 80% of the youth sitting at home battling to find employment.
Ramashia said despite this worrying figure, illegal foreign nationals kept flowing into the country daily, flooding employment opportunities and informal trading spaces.
“They’re getting employed each and every day, so it’s very important for us to remove these illegal foreign nationals so we can have South Africans employed and able to pursue entrepreneurial gaps.
‘We want the government to be accountable, address us as South African citizens, and tell us what the plan or way forward is for these issues we are raising because we are not willing to back down anymore.“
Ramashia said organisations raising the issue of illegal immigrants had for a long time been labelled as being xenophobic, but they were not phased by it.
“Being labelled names while you are trying to do something for future generations is fine, as at the end of the day we need to be accountable about the state of our country.”
David Ratladi, president of the Inwoners Baagi Civic Organisation, said government leaders from various departments and law enforcement had all failed its citizens as South Africans were left in townships while foreign nationals had taken over properties in the city centres.
“We are gatvol. Jointly and collectively, as civic organisations, we have decided to bring our memorandum to the president to hear our plea.
‘This is our wake-up call, and we are saying that as all provinces, we will gather to demand intervention from the soldiers, Saps, and metro police, and help us take these people back to their countries.“
Over 35 civic organisations gathered at the Old Putco depot in Marabastad today, making their way to the Union Buildings in Pretoria, demanding the immediate deportation of all illegal immigrants.
This is because the organisations alleged that even though South Africans had warmly welcomed their African brothers into their country, they had thanked the country by dismantling key infrastructure and perpetrating crimes unhindered.
All organisations pleaded for the mass deportation of illegal immigrants without delay, failing which they would take matters into their own hands.
The Star