Anti-xenophobia groups to gather against operation Dudula

The group will begin an anti-xenophobia campaign to hit the streets of Johannesburg to quell sentiments that immigrants take jobs that belong to South Africans and commit most of the crime in the country. 

Operation Dudula, led by community organiser Nhlanhla Dlamini has been active in the streets of Johannesburg, including places like Hillbrow and Bree Taxi rank, targeting migrants in an attempt to disperse them and get them deported.  

The organisation believes undocumented migrants are among the many causes of unemployment and crime.  

The anti-xenophobia group, which consists of Saftu, SRWP, the Center for Sociological Research and Practice at UJ, Soweto Electricity Crisis Community, and the One Voice Hawkers Association, disagree. 

One of the organisers, Terry Maggot told Jacaranda FM News, they are concerned about the safety of migrants.  

"Our major fear is that innocent people are going to be hurt, migrants come here looking for a better life, they are mothers, fathers, high school pupils and contributing members of the society. We are afraid that this kind of violence will really affect their lives, some people have been murdered in these incidents of violence," said Maggot.  

"We also want to open a bigger conversation - we see operation Dudula is part of a bigger class issue,” she added.  

“It's great that people are standing up for themselves when the government and the ANC fail to do so, but to put violence on innocent is not the way to do it, we think there is a need for political education around what the problem is.” 

She said they believe the real problem is a lack of jobs and that big business is allowed to do what it wants at the expense of ordinary people.  

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