A coalition of civil society organisations under the banner Kopanang Africa against Xenophobia (KAAX) was on Wednesday marching through the streets of Braamfontein, Johannesburg, over violence and hate speech being aimed at migrants.
KAAX called on the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) to act against the government for its alleged failure to address institutionalised xenophobia that is fueling vigilantism.
Delivering the memorandum of demands to the SAHRC on behalf of the organization, Thifulufheli Sinthumele said as KAAX they were concerned that in 2022 they were continuing to witness institutionalised xenophobia and the fueling of xenophobic violence.
“We call upon the SAHRC to lead a process to report back to all who live in South Africa on the attempts made by the SAHRC to enforce compliance by the State and relevant stakeholders,” Sinthumele said.
Sinthumele also urged the SAHRC to take steps to prevent members of Operation Dudula from harrasing foreign nationals.
“Take steps to prevent Operation Dudula members from threatening, harassing, searching, demanding documents from or from entering properties of foreign traders regardless of whether they are documented or not,” he said.
“Protests and community marches which are focused on complaining about foreign nationals should be closely monitored by police and police should take necessary action to protect foreign nationals and their property.”
SAHRC chief executive Tseliso Tsipanyane received the memorandum of demands from KAAX.
“I think as a commission we have really failed our people, we could’ve done things better but we thank civil organisations to pushing us,” he said.
Tsipanyane also accused government officials of being the cause of the many problems the country is facing, especially over its lax immigration policy enforcement.
“Our government has opened a tap for all these problems, they have allowed people to be in this country and enter the country without any form of documentation,” Tsipanyane said.
