Eastern Cape premier Phumulo Masualle took to the streets of East London yesterday to promote an anti-xenophobia message to the people.
He was accompanied by sports‚ recreation‚ arts and culture MEC Pemmy Majodina, cooperative governance and traditional affairs MEC Fikile Xasa and Buffalo City Metro executive mayor Zukiswa Ncitha on a walkabout of the busy streets of the city centre speaking to taxi operators and commuters.
The walk began in the early morning from the North West Expressway near St John’s Primary School to the Gillwell and Buffalo Street taxi ranks‚ where taxi drivers said they were impressed that government was taking an active stance against South Africans attacking foreigners.
Along the way the delegation handed out pamphlets and posters, with messages such as “Stop the Attack”, “Say not to violence” and “Let us work together to prevent violence against foreign nationals”, to pedestrians, hawkers and motorists.
Chairman of the Buffalo Street taxi rank, Dumile Kaji, said he had followed the news about the attacks on foreigners and the bad picture it paints about South Africans, especially men.
“That would never happen here. We have been working peacefully with many of them. Some are from Ghana and Nigeria but we treat them no differently,” said Kaji.
“They are our brothers and we stand by them. This campaign will get other people to realise we do not condone the violence and not all South African men hate foreigners.”
Majodina said it was up to the public to protect foreign nationals.
In the afternoon, the premier took the campaign to the railways and travelled in a train from town to Berlin.
Masualle spoke to commuters and condemned the attacks, calling them “deplorable and sickening”.
“We want to mobilise our communities and re-instill the notion of a united African continent and teach the public it is also their responsibility to help the fight against xenophobia,” he said.
Xasa said: “South Africans need to be reminded we are not a country seperate from the continent and foreigners are also our brothers and sisters.” — ziphon@dispatch.co.za
Premier takes a firm stand in city
He was accompanied by sports‚ recreation‚ arts and culture MEC Pemmy Majodina, cooperative governance and traditional affairs MEC Fikile Xasa and Buffalo City Metro executive mayor Zukiswa Ncitha on a walkabout of the busy streets of the city centre speaking to taxi operators and commuters.
The walk began in the early morning from the North West Expressway near St John’s Primary School to the Gillwell and Buffalo Street taxi ranks‚ where taxi drivers said they were impressed that government was taking an active stance against South Africans attacking foreigners.
Along the way the delegation handed out pamphlets and posters, with messages such as “Stop the Attack”, “Say not to violence” and “Let us work together to prevent violence against foreign nationals”, to pedestrians, hawkers and motorists.
Chairman of the Buffalo Street taxi rank, Dumile Kaji, said he had followed the news about the attacks on foreigners and the bad picture it paints about South Africans, especially men.
“That would never happen here. We have been working peacefully with many of them. Some are from Ghana and Nigeria but we treat them no differently,” said Kaji.
“They are our brothers and we stand by them. This campaign will get other people to realise we do not condone the violence and not all South African men hate foreigners.”
Majodina said it was up to the public to protect foreign nationals.
In the afternoon, the premier took the campaign to the railways and travelled in a train from town to Berlin.
Masualle spoke to commuters and condemned the attacks, calling them “deplorable and sickening”.
“We want to mobilise our communities and re-instill the notion of a united African continent and teach the public it is also their responsibility to help the fight against xenophobia,” he said.
Xasa said: “South Africans need to be reminded we are not a country seperate from the continent and foreigners are also our brothers and sisters.” — ziphon@dispatch.co.za
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