Mandela Day: Capetonians take a stand against xenophobia

Dozens of people walked around Princess Vlei in Grassy Park on Saturday. Photo: Ashraf Hendricks

“Africa is our land; I belong to Africa,” said Liliane Mukidi, born in DRC to Zambian parents, at a meeting with activists on Mandela Day in Cape Town.

The event at the Jubilee Community Church in Observatory was attended by representatives from Equal Education, the African Inclusion Coalition, Ndifuna Ukwazi and the Siyafana Sonke Action Campaign, among other organisations.

Participants chanted, “No hate, no fear. Refugees are welcome here.” A banner read, “No being is illegal”.

Activists gathered at the Jubilee Community Church on Saturday. Photo: Matthew Hirsch

Mukidi fled the DRC in 1999 during the civil war. She first lived in Zambia before settling in South Africa.

She is a member of the South African Refugee Led Network and founder of Umoja (which means unity in Swahili), a company that helps women develop skills such as sewing and fashion design.

The company initially focused on immigrant women but later expanded to include South Africans. “I realised things were difficult, not just for foreigners, but for women in general. This is the beauty of unity. We have to promote that,” she said.

A joint statement by the event organisers said the #AfricaUnite campaign opposes the anti-immigration violence happening across South Africa in recent months.

“Families are being forcibly removed from their homes, shops are being attacked, places of worship threatened with fire, and entire communities displaced,” read the statement.

A march to Parliament against xenophobia is planned for 8 August.

South Africans and refugees came together to create a vegetable garden at the Wingfield refugee camp in Maitland. Photo: Matthew Hirsch

Clean-up at Wingfield refugee camp

Refugees at the Wingfield refugee camp in Maitland marked Mandela Day by hosting a gardening workshop. People living in the neighbouring Gate 7 informal settlement - where mostly South Africans live - also attended. They prepared the soil to plant vegetables, such as spinach.

Mamopapa Komeke, from Gate 7, said the event was a symbol of unity as both South Africans and refugees were working together.

“Whatever we have, we share,” said Komeke. “We are trying to revive and improve the garden. We also bought almost 300 seedlings.”

Komeke said it was important to remember what Mandela stood for.

“People must look at the bigger picture; it’s about what will happen to our kids,” she said.

Capetonians walked on the newly opened Princess Vlei walkway in support of African solidarity. Photo: Ashraf Hendricks

Dozens walk for unity at Princess Vlei

A few years ago, Princess Vlei in Grassy Park was considered a dangerous area. It has since been transformed into a well-kept nature reserve, with a recently opened boardwalk enjoyed by walkers and cyclists. There is a children’s park, and security guards ensure people feel safe.

A few dozen people participated in an African solidarity walk at the vlei on Mandela Day. The event was organised by the Ishraaq Solidarity Forum and supported by the Princess Vlei Forum – the community group that successfully advocated for the vlei to be rejuvenated.

Organiser Lorna Houston read a statement before the 3km walk around the vlei began. She quoted Nelson Mandela: “As Africans, especially as those who benefited from African solidarity, we cannot be unmoved by the plight of our brothers [and sisters].”

The statement stated: “We recognise the terrible human rights abuses and violations against asylum seekers, refugees and migrants that took place across the country over the past three weeks in particular, and still continue to take place. We note that some of this is due to vigilantes, while some is state-sponsored and that the crisis itself is largely due to the inefficiency and corruption at the Department of Home Affairs.”

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