The government is urged to improvise and implement a comprehensive and long-term solution to deal with the xenophobia which flares up occasionally in the country.
“The problem will persist in the absence of such a plan, resulting in poor, local black people fighting their counterparts from elsewhere on the continent for the available limited resources and opportunities,” said Ward 118 councillor Adolph Marema.
He said this as national and provincial leaders scrambled for coherent responses to cool down tensions after xenophobia flared up in Rosettenville, Joburg and Pretoria.
Marema said there should be an honest assessment of the cause of the problem; an admission of the presence of criminal motives on both sides; and, foremost, a willingness and eagerness to effect laws governing migration and related bylaws on housing; and a bold drive on employment generation; as well as prosecuting criminals.
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He said the general public’s concerns on migrants should be taken seriously and understood in its correct context, as they are impacted directly by it.
“They honestly don’t mind co-existing peacefully with migrants if government clarified their status. In other countries, migrants come in as vetted refugees and are confined to camps and supported by the host government, others are employed legally and employers of undocumented migrants are prosecuted for transgressing employment regulations,” said Marema.
“Why can’t we do the same to help avoid the clashes which are prompted by the competition for menial jobs between poor locals and migrants.”
He said that the government should be seen implementing regulations that monitor migration; to plan and provide services; and support citizens and documented immigrants.
He also alleged that migrants with criminal intent, evade arrest, thrive through ill-gotten means and are not prosecuted. This, he said, happened allegedly at the behest of some corrupt law enforcement agents, and due to laxity in the prosecution process.
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Marema urged leaders to be forthright when dealing with the problem. “They should try to raise the consciousness of residents about the benefits of black African unity – without exploitative criminal tendencies, like drug peddling, human trafficking and the prostitution of both local citizens and migrants which destroy the continent’s youth and the future.”
Also, he urged the government to encourage migrants with thriving initiatives to share their good practices with locals. “Only with unity will they thrive more, access government and other support, and contribute to the economy and job creation.”
Marema implored the City’s Metro police officers to educate the public on and enforce bylaws to stop migrants and other locals from constructing illegal structures on road servitudes and on any available but unserviced land. “The shacks are health, safety hazard and hideouts where criminals can’t be easily traced. Police should mount regular road blocks to flush out the criminals and refrain from taking bribes, often done in full public view.”
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