Activists call out hypocrisy of March and March’s protests

Anti-immigrant vigilante group March and March protesting in central Durban on Wednesday. Photo: Joseph Bracken

At least one man was assaulted as tensions erupted during a march by hundreds of members and supporters of the anti-immigrant vigilante group March and March in central Durban on Wednesday. Many of those attending the march carried sticks, batons, sjamboks and knobkerries.

The march was billed as part of a national day of action against gender-based violence (GBV) and femicide in response to the murder of 12 women in Ekurhuleni in recent weeks.

The poster advertising Wednesday’s march only mentioned GBV. But it was clear to reporters that many of the people who joined were also there for issues surrounding immigration. Leaders shouted, “Abahambe”, with some attendees holding up posters with the same slogan.

In an address to the nation on Tuesday night, President Cyril Ramaphosa pledged more resources to fight GBV in the coming mid-term budget.

“Resources have been allocated to strengthen the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences units. More resources will be allocated by the Minister of Finance in the Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement,” he said.

The president has promised that a first consolidated report will be issued within 90 days, with public progress reports every quarter thereafter.

During the marches on Wednesday, some members of March and March told GroundUp that there were links between GBV and illegal immigration.

Chandra Gould of the Institute for Security Services said that these kinds of claims that GBV is mainly perpetrated by immigrants are not evidence based.

“There is absolutely nothing that tells us that people from other countries are more likely than South Africans to commit GBV,” she said.

Yeshelen Govender from activist group Siyafana Sonke said, “The xenophobic movement is weaponising the legitimate and highly worrying issues like GBV and femicide to support their narrative, just like they weaponised crime levels, unemployment and service delivery.”

“It’s also absolutely hypocritical when you consider the level of violence that migrant women have been subjected to by members of these groups, who have prevented pregnant women from accessing healthcare, and have injured young girls during their weekly marches,” said Govender.

The protesters carrying weapons also went to immigrant run shops and threatened people. Many of them closed for the day. Photo: Tsoanelo Sefoloko

Durban

GroundUp witnessed a group of protesters assault a man who was standing outside his apartment on Point Road.

He told GroundUp that he was South African and had been mistakenly identified as an immigrant when he was assaulted.

The protesters carrying weapons also went to immigrant run shops and threatened people. Many of them closed for the day.

The group was also joined by political party members from MKP, ActionSA and IFP.

“People have come to the march today to bring attention to GBV and the killing of women in South Africa,” said Xolani Zuma, the husband of March and March leader Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma.

Regarding Ramaphosa’s address on Tuesday night, Zuma said that the president put forward no meaningful solutions to the GBV crisis. “We need more cameras and a better police presence,” he said.

The R600-million that was spent on police and security services for the 30 June march should have been put into fighting GBV, said Theresa Nortje, another March and March member.

One of the more visible political parties today was ActionSA. According to Zwakele Mngcwango, KZN chairperson of ActionSA, March and March has broadened its scope since it was started, and Wednesday’s protest was more about the general issue of GBV than just cases perpetrated by immigrants.

“Personally, I believe crime is crime. It can be committed by illegal foreigners, it can be committed by South Africans.”

Hundreds of March and March members on their way to the Point Road police station. Photo: Tsoanelo Sefoloko

About 25 people marched to the Western Cape legislature on Wednesday, 30 September. It followed a call by March and March leader Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma to protest against gender-based violence and femicide. They were joined by members of Operation Dudula, the Labour and Civic Organisation (LACO) and the newly formed One Love Alliance political party. Photo: Matthew Hirsch

Cape Town

The march to the Western Cape legislature started shortly after 11am. There were about 25 people. Marchers shouted “voetsek foreigner” and “go home” as they passed the Grand Parade in Cape Town.

March and March Western Cape’s Thenjiswa Khowa said they were responding to a call to stand against GBV.

“We could see the current state of South Africa. Women’s bodies are discovered every day, and we haven’t seen any action,” she said.

When pressed about statistics showing immigrants being less likely to commit crime, she said, “We are not saying we don’t have criminals in South Africa, but those can be found. What about the people who are here illegally? We don’t know which countries they are coming from. I don’t believe those statistics are quite correct.”

When asked about the hundreds of immigrant women and children who were forced to sleep outside for weeks following the movement’s actions, she said, “Why should it be that South Africans are responsible? Why must we be responsible for other people’s safety?”

The marchers handed over a memorandum to a Western Cape government official.

One of the posters by March and March read “real men don’t hit women”. Photo: Matthew Hirsch

National spokesperson of March and March Sandile Dube (centre) told journalists at the Church Square in Pretoria that the march was postponed due to the rainfall. Photo: Warren Mabona

Tshwane

There was a heavy police contingent at Church Square in anticipation of the planned march. However the march was called off due to the rain and poor turnout.

The postponement was announced by the national spokesperson of March and March, Sandile Dube, while speaking to journalists.

GroundUp saw about 15 people at the park for the march. All of them left shortly after Dube announced the postponement.

Johannesburg

A small group of anti-xenohobia protesters gathered in Bertrams to make their voices heard in anticipation of the March and March planned action today. Photo: Ihsaan Haffejee

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