Honorary members from the Ekurhuleni Cluster, the coordinating body of refugee management and the Department of Home Affairs were present.
The purpose of the meeting was to raise awareness to foreign nationals about the rules and regulations of the South African Constitution and to promote human rights.
The focus of the meeting wasn’t solely based on foreigners, but on South African citizens as well.
• Read: Metro sets up anti-xenophobic hotline
The SAPS cautioned citizens about the repercussions of taking the law into their own hands through xenophobic attacks.
Easter fever was in the air and the SAPS used scriptures from the Bible accompanied with hard-hitting facts of South African law.
Col Paul Makhora Selota (49) opened the campaign, posing a question to the congregation.
“How can we claim to love God but fail to love those made in his image and likeness?” he says.
He spoke about the times of struggle in South Africa when many were exiled to foreign countries. .
He says the countries that South Africans look down upon are the very countries that embraced us in our time of need.
Pastor Siza Dlhadlha (36) from the Word Christian Church said he was pleased that the community is coming together.
“The anti-xenophobia day aims to unite people and to stop the discrimination against foreigners,” he says.
• Also read: Xenophobia threatens future of the country
He mentions the liberation movement and says South Africa fought for all Africans to live freely.
“Love thy neighbour – that’s a principal that we should all live by,” he says.
The Department of Home Affairs representatives showed foreign nationals how to apply for permits and informed them about the conditions one should adhere to once obtaining them. They discussed the various permits which grant foreigners access to the country for limited periods of time.
They stressed the importance of renewing permits and ensuring that they (foreigners) are classed as legal occupants in SA.
“It’s sad when families are deported due to having the incorrect paper work and at times we have to shut people’s businesses down,” Captain Johannes Ramphora says.
The law remains the same and the SAPS are on a mission to create a better environment for those living in Springs by curbing corruption, he says.
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