‘Get out’: Seshego sets deadline for illegal foreigners
Undocumented foreign nationals have until the new year to relocate out of Seshego after which only foreigners who have legal documents will be allowed to stay.
POLOKWANE – According to the chairperson of Seshego Community Against Crime and Gangsterism (SCAGAC) initiative, Vincent Kuntu says in the same breath that they will not tolerate any xenophobic acts on innocent people who are in the country legally for work or any other reason.
The community’s call comes in the wake of Zimbabwean national Themba Prince Willards Dube’s appearance in the Seshego Magistrate’s Court on November 15. Dube was charged with seven counts of kidnapping and seven counts of murder after he was linked to the disappearance of a number of women in Seshego, Polokwane and surrounding areas. He appeared for his formal bail application but opted to abandon bail.
The Seshego community has since come together to support the families and the case has sparked outrage on social media with many calling for the removal of all foreigners in the area and some instances inciting violence and xenophobia.
Kunutu says their deadline of the new year is just one of the measures in which they hope to keep the community safe.
“We frown upon incidents where residents burned down the shacks and chased away foreigners in the area. There was an incident that took place outside of Seshego and we are grateful for that because we are a law-abiding organisation.”
He says that much is still to be discussed in terms of the way forward but the main matter remains that by January 1, they want no illegal foreigners in the community.
He says that those who will be found during their patrols will be handed over to the community and hopefully deported home.
“As long as you are here legally, you can stay because then you are accounted for and the government knows you are here. Those who are unaccounted for make it difficult for us to find them as they are linked to illegal dealings or crime.”
He has urged government to send a stern message against any acts of xenophobia. Comment could not immediately be sourced from representatives from a Zimbabwean Embassy delegation who met with SCAGAC on Monday.
