To : All Media Issued : 18 MAY 2015 Attention : News ...

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To : All Media

Issued : 18 MAY 2015

Attention : News Editors/ Journalist

COMMUNITY MARCH TO DENOUNCE XENOPHOBIC ATTACKS

MOKOPANE: More than 10 civil society organizations have on Friday marched to the
Mokopane Magistrate Court, Home Affairs Offices in Mokopane and Mogalakwena
Municipality to denounce the xenophobic attacks against African migrants as that erupted in
some parts of the country about a month ago.

The above mentioned organizations, including the Mayor Mashamaite handed over a
memorandum calling on the Mokopane Magistrate Court’s Chief Magistrate and Home Affairs

Senior Manager to sign an anti-xenophobia pledge to work tirelessly in ensuring the protection of

African immigrants and other foreigners in the country.

Other organizations that participated in the march include, the Congress of South African
Students (COSAS), Young Communist League (YCL), African National Congress Youth League
(ANCYL), South African Students' Congress (SASCO), South African National Civic
Organization (SANCO), Nigerian Community, Somalian Community and others.

Mogalakwena Municipality Mayor, His Worship Cllr Tlhalefi Mashamaite while addressing the
march said, “The attacks against African immigrants had started in the township of Isipingo at
the end of March, before spreading to other areas in and around Durban in KwaZulu-Natal
Province. Attacks have also occurred in some parts of Johannesburg in Gauteng Province. As a
result number of people have been killed, while thousands of African immigrants have been
displaced.”

“Many of the affected immigrants have since been voluntarily repatriated back to their home
countries. We thank the people of Mogalakwena Municipality and Limpopo for being exemplary
as we did not experience Xenophobic attacks in our area,” added Mashamaite.

Mashamaite said these xenophobic attacks have brought so much shame and embarrassment to
South Africa, thus compelling them as the government and millions of well-meaning South
Africa to come out in full force to denounce it.

“We are reminding our people that when it was tough, Oliver Tambo, Nelson Mandela and many
others got their military training in Africa, for the sole purpose of liberating this country. We

must remind our people of the suffering of our African brothers in their countries because they
provided us with shelter in our time of need,” said Mashamaite.

“We urge you to love, work with foreign nationals and also protect them at all times from those
committing acts of violence to them. The attacks violate all the values that South Africa
embodies, especially the respect for human life, human rights, human dignity and Ubuntu. We as
the ANC, urge everybody to show the world and the rest of Africa that these violent attacks are
not who we are. We are saying to you that, let’s stop calling them foreigners, they are Africans.
We are all born on the same continent, and we all belong to the same continent.” continued
Mashamaite.

Mashamaite emphasized that, “The shutdown of Mokopane town by the so called Mogalakwena
Residents Association (MRA), is totally unacceptable. Our parents, sisters and brothers must be
allowed to go to work because if they don’t do so they will lose their jobs. Our children must be
allowed to go to school because if they don’t their future is doomed.”

“We call on everyone (businesses, schools, government institutions etc) in this municipality that
from today and in the future to ignore any letter of any form of communication from the so
called MRA. We call on to parents, learners, teachers and community members to refrain from
such activities. Shutting down our town scares away investors and more people will lose their
jobs,” said Mashamaite.

Mashamaite discouraged the community members to stop invading the land occupying the land
illegally as there is the Court Order restraining everyone from occupying, building or erecting
any structures for residential or any other purpose and to authorize the applicant through the
Sherriff, to remove and demolish and structures or certain portions of the land described above.
(Kindly refer from the Court Order I have send to you which the municipality obtained
against various unknown persons intending to occupy the remaining extent of portion 80 of
the farm Piet Potgietersrus Town and Townlands 44-KS)

Mashamaite further condemned last week’s incidents which happened in Mozumbane village
where the community members burned/set alight the ESKOM vehicle, dug up the tire road and
barricaded the road with rocks and burnt tar in the name of service delivery.

“The municipality is willing to service the community of Mozumbane but the issue of land is in
the court and Chief Kekana. There are proper channels which can be followed to resolve the
issues in the area and the community should just excise some patience or engage with relevant
people to resolve the problems in the area unlike burning schools, other people’s properties etc.

“From today let us do what we did in the past to end slavery, apartheid, colonial rule,
discriminatory laws and practices and various unjust wars – form a united front comprising all
nations, ethnic and religious groups, genders, classes and castes to end racism, racial
discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance and let us do it now in a spirit of mutual
respect and tolerance, and by so doing demonstrate our commitment to the foundational principle
of the inherent dignity of the human person,” Mashamaite signed off.

Issued by: Office of the Municipal Manager, Divisional Head of Communications-Malesela
Selokela, Tel 015 491 9760/ Cell: 083 359 6971, e-mail [email protected]