Community groups intend staging a march against crime, poverty, and xenophobia to the Union Buildings on Thursday.
It was organised by the Coalition of Civics Against Xenophobia, which describes itself as a coalition of South Africans and foreigners living in the country.
This march to the Union Buildings follows recent outbreak of attacks against African people in Pretoria West, Mamelodi, Soshanguve and other parts of Tshwane.
The Coalition of Civics is a working partnership of civic organisations, political parties, students organisations and refugees and immigrants associations. Key groups include OutsourcingMustFall, PAC, PASMA, WASP, SYM, Atteridgeville Civic Movement, Mamelodi East Civic and the African Renaissance Civic.
The decision to march to the Union Buildings was taken after consultation at three public meetings, held since the outbreak of xenophobic attacks in the area, in February 2017.
Coalition of Civics organiser and Outsourcing Must Fall activist, Vusi Mahlangu said “’We made a promise that we shall not fold our arms as African people are attacked in a very right wing program dubbed “xenophobia” disguised as a fight for jobs, land, poverty”.
Mahlangu said “We believe that the attacks on African people are misguided and mere acts of scapegoating, for they are not responsible for the poverty, unemployment and crime. Capitalism is the primary source of our plight”.
The Nelson Mandela Foundation condemned attacks on foreign nationals.
“We express shock and take exception to the authorities’ decision giving permission for a march of hatred in Tshwane,” the foundation said in a statement ahead of the event.”
The violence was destroying lives and bringing international shame to South Africa, it said.
“We call on all South Africans to take responsibility for embracing the hospitality that defines our democratic order.”
Supporters of the #MarchAgainstXenophobia will assemble at Burgers Park at 9am and then proceed to the Union Buildings. Permission has been granted to the Coalition of Civics by the SAPS and the organisers are expecting 2000 people to attend, mostly immigrants and refugees.
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