Foreign nationals in Germiston are afraid.
This was clear when the GCN spoke to a number of Malawian nationals on Saturday morning at the tented camp set up for those who are seeking refuge.
Christmas Brack, a Malawian who has been in the country for a number of years, said: “We came here yesterday.
“People have been threatened and we are scared.”
Andrew Msuzi and Jeremiah Chilowa echoed Brack sentiments and added that they had packed up all their belongings as people wanted to fight with them.
The three are all residents of the Makause informal settlement.
They joined hundreds of other foreign nationals from the informal settlements who have fled their homes and gone to the Primrose Police Station to seek safety over the last few days as tensions in the settlements rise.
The metro has erected a tented camp to house displaced foreign nationals opposite the police station and on Saturday Gauteng premier David Makhura visited the people to speak to them.
“Xenophobia is a crime against ourselves,” Makhura said.
“We as government are doing everything we can and working with all sectors, especially our police, to bring the perpetrators of xenophobia to book.”
Makhura acknowledged the fact that most of the foreign nationals were in the country to earn money to take care of their families and others were there due to war and unrest in their own countries.
“We are doing everything possible to calm the situation and want the communities to work with us to bring peace back to the country.
“We know what happened in 2008 – our people were killed and yes you are our people as it is our responsibility to see that you are safe,” he said.
The premier also urged the foreign nationals to cooperate and register so that it would make it easier for the government to help them.
“A lot of women and children have been registered but there are a number of people who are refusing.
“We do not want to register you so that we can deport you, we only want to help,” Makhura said.
He added that over the next seven days government and various other sectors will be bringing peace back to the communities.
This started with a day of prayer on Sunday where all churches in Gauteng were asked to pray for an end to xenophobia.
“South Africa has worked so hard to get where it is and we can’t allow people to do this in our name.
“We need foreign nationals to work with us, obey the law and not take the law into their own hands,” Makhura said.
“Our message to you is that we are doing everything possible to normalise and calm the situation.”
A number of organisations are currently working hard to make sure the displaced foreign nationals have what they need.
Any donations can be delivered to the Primrose Methodist Church.
