More than 40 civil society organisations, migrant rights groups, and community movements have opposed a planned March and March protest in Bellville on May 23, warning against xenophobia and intimidation targeting undocumented African nationals.
Image: Simon Majadibodu / IOL
More than 40 civil society organisations, migrant rights groups, legal advocacy bodies, and community movements have united in opposition to a planned march against undocumented African nationals set to take place in Bellville on Saturday.
They warned that such mobilisation risks fuelling xenophobia, fear, and violence.
The coalition, which includes Kopanang Africa Against Xenophobia (KAAX), the Consortium for Refugees and Migrants in South Africa (CoRMSA), Equal Education Law Centre, Lawyers for Human Rights, the Legal Resources Centre, Scalabrini Centre of Cape Town, Ndifuna Ukwazi, Reclaim the City, and several other organisations, issued a joint statement condemning the planned action by March and March.
The statement comes ahead of a march scheduled for Saturday, May 23, which organisers say will begin at Du Toit Park in Bellville, near the Sanlam offices on Voortrekker Road.
Promotional posters, videos, and messages circulating across March and March's social media platforms call on supporters to attend the demonstration, with one post stating: "Comrades, this coming Saturday we are peacefully marching against illegal foreigners in Bellville, Du Toit Park, Cape Town. Let's rise up together and let our voices be heard."
Promotional material shared on March and March social media platforms calls on supporters to join a march in Bellville on May 23 targeting undocumented African nationals.
Image: Supplied
March and March has become increasingly visible in recent months through campaigns focused on undocumented African nationals, immigration enforcement, and access to jobs and public services.
However, the coalition argues that the movement is directing public frustration towards migrants, refugees, undocumented workers, and other vulnerable groups instead of the institutions and systems responsible for South Africa's social and economic challenges.
"March and March pretends to be a large civic movement, and pretends to speak for ordinary people, while directing anger downward, toward migrants, refugees, street traders, undocumented workers, and the poor, instead of toward the systems and institutions actually responsible for misery in this country," the statement said.
The organisations said unemployment, poverty, corruption, homelessness, and failing public services are genuine concerns affecting millions of South Africans, but rejected claims that migrants are responsible for those challenges.
"Our problems of unemployment, failing services, corruption, hunger, homelessness, and inequality are real problems, but the cause is not migrants," the statement reads.
According to KAAX spokesperson Mike Ndlovu, anti-migrant mobilisation has become increasingly visible across the country, and Cape Town is now emerging as another focal point.
"We have already seen what this politics leads to in South Africa. It leads to intimidation in the streets, fear in communities, attacks on shops, blockades and harassment at hospitals and schools, and violence against people whose only crime is being victimised under the same system in which we all suffer," Ndlovu said.
The coalition's concerns come against the backdrop of recent incidents in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng, where anti-migrant actions have drawn national attention and prompted fears about the safety of migrant communities.
The organisations argue that such campaigns risk creating hostility towards migrants as a whole, particularly poor African migrants.
The statement further warns that slogans such as "citizens first", "clean-up operations", and references to "illegal foreigners" may appear moderate but ultimately contribute to the division of poor and working-class communities.
It also rejects claims that migration is responsible for pressures on jobs and public services, arguing instead that many of South Africa's current challenges stem from decades of inequality, corruption, austerity measures, state failures, and economic exclusion.
The coalition called on the police, government officials, and the media to act responsibly in the lead-up to Saturday's demonstration and to help prevent intimidation and xenophobic violence.
"We stand with migrants, refugees, undocumented people, and all those targeted by xenophobic politics. We stand for solidarity across borders and against every attempt to turn vulnerable people into enemies."
Attempts to contact representatives from March and March were unsuccessful at the time of publishing.
lilita.gcwabe@inl.co.za