Xenophobia Has No Place In Our Democratic Society

Rule of Law

The DA in Gauteng strongly condemns the recent wave of xenophobic violence in our province.

Xenophobia has no place in our democratic society.

It is deeply saddening that two of our Afropolitan cities of Johannesburg and Tshwane have seen attacks targeting foreigners.

We call on all South Africans to respect the rule of law and to refrain from targeting foreigners.

Our country’s history and the freedom we enjoy today was not won in isolation, many African nations played a pivotal role in supporting South Africa’s liberation.

The DA will put forward a motion in the Provincial Legislature on Xenophobia.

 

 

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John Moodey MPL
DA Gauteng Provincial Leader
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SPEECH BY MR LEBO MORE, MPL ON AFRICA DAY DELIVERED IN THE GAUTENG PROVINCIA LEGISLATURE ON 28 APRIL 2015

Honourable Speaker, as much as we say South Africa belong to all who live in it, it would make more sense to say Africa as a continent belongs to all who live in it.

Many people in Africa are very hopeful with the future that this wonderful continent holds for us. We truly believe that Africa should be that bright light that shall shine to the rest of the world.

Great world leaders have emerged from this continent. And great young minds shall be nurtured from the very same continent that we call home. On a daily basis we are inspired by the courage expressed by us here at home along with our fellow brothers and sisters in Africa, to wake up to make Africa a better place. Through economic prospects, social interactions, and all forms of daily practices we remain determined every day to proudly make Africa a home to us all.

Of course, Honourable Speaker, Africa still has huge challenges and problems that we need to frankly talk about. From the eternal conflicts and civil wars caused by greed and bad politicking to a continent that is marked by heavy corruption, and democratic practices that are not respected. Some of the governors in Africa pick and choose which aspects of democracies better suit them and which do not. It is such things that make a sad day in Africa.

It is because of these matters that many people in Africa resort to seeking refuge elsewhere and seeking economic emancipation elsewhere.  I have travelled to many countries here in Africa and have witnessed a desperate need for reformations.

South Africa is not immune from the challenges faced by Africa. In actual fact, through its failures to grow the economy at a sufficient rate, it contributes to the increasing number of challenges.

Africa also needs to learn not only from lessons of the past but as well as lessons of today. It is today that the people of Burundi are on the streets in protests, it is today that organisations such as Boko Haram and Al Shabab continue to horrifically destroy Africa and the peace it deserves. It is today that Zimbabwe community activists are being detained for being mere activists. It is today that some leaders in Africa do everything possible to avoid corruption charges not matter how many they are.

To them it does not matter whether they are 750 or what. They just look for escape holes. Ga o ikitsi o le molato o tshabang go sekisiwa (if you know that you are innocent then why are you afraid to face prosecution).

What we should do Honourable Speaker is to use and share the wonderful Constitution of the Republic of South Africa with other countries in Africa that need to build a strong base in building their nations.

We should uphold the great principles in this document and prove to the rest of the world that we are a country in Africa that emerged out of the murky depths of political crisis during the years of Apartheid, and through our commitment to constitutional values and principles, we are forging a strong, unified society, based on freedom and respect for all.

We should completely reject all forms and signs of xenophobic and Afro-phobic attitudes and champion unity. The question is, are we already unified? Our actions still show that we are still a divided nation. How then can we be the advocates of unity in Africa while we are still divided as a nation?

SPEECH BY MRS JANET SEMPLE, MPL ON THE AFRICA DAY MOTION DELIVERED IN THE GAUTENG PROVINCIAL LEGISLATURE ON TUESDAY, 28 APRIL 2015.

Much of our national discourse and call to action in the past few weeks has been over the attacks on foreign nationals from Africa.

President Jacob Zuma has pointed out that the actions of a small minority does not mean that all South African are xenophobic.

He goes on to say “We appreciate the contribution of foreign nationals to South Africa.  They contribute to our economic development by investing in the economy, bringing critical skills and adding to the diversity that we pride ourselves in.”

There have been complaints about the displacement of many local small traders by foreign nationals and some migrant traders operating illegally.  There are accusations that foreign nationals commit crimes such as drug peddling and human trafficking, that they take the jobs of locals as employers prefer them as they are prepared to take lower wages.

We agree with the President and the Premier that none of these grievances justify any form of violence against foreign nationals. We also know that not all foreign nationals are in the country illegally just as not all are involved in criminal activity.

Most would also agree with the President that much of the blame for the violence is based on economic realities.  What he does not say is that the foreign nationals seem to be better entrepreneurs than South Africans even though the foreigners often arrive in this country with little more than the clothes on their backs. They are prepared to work hard long hours. What the President does not say is that the huge levels of unemployment in this country make life cheap and violence, be it against foreign nationals, road rage, domestic violence or child abuse is a constant threat to all of us regardless of race, language or religion.

Hon Members we know that in 2014 only 42.6% of those who started matric 12 years ago actually passed matric. What happens to those young people who “drop out”? The young men who have been arrested for the death of Manuel Jossias, better known as Emmanuel Sithole, lived in shocking conditions that are a terrible indictment on our society. All four of them failed to complete the school system, they were brought up without a father figure and they are unemployed. They live in absolute poverty.

Stats SA tells us that 51% of young people aged between 19 – 29 have never been employed and once they reach 30 they are never likely to be employed in the future. This results in high levels of gang warfare, drug abuse and crime. When you have nothing to lose, it is easy to strike out at the most vulnerable members of society including foreign nationals.

How do we create the jobs that will help mop up unemployment and hopefully reduce the violence and frustration?  One way would be to encourage entrepreneurship but we make it so difficult to start a legal business in South Africa.  A World Bank survey lists Mauritius as the number one country in Africa for ease of doing business. Ease of doing business is based on how quickly one can register a property, the availability of electricity, and what taxes are involved amongst other requirements. We need to cut the red tape and endless regulations which make it so difficult to start a business. We need to make it easier to employ young people.

We as South Africans must never forget that we are part of Africa just as Africa is part of us. In Sunday’s Business Times, the CEO of Standard Bank, Mr Sim Tshabalala said: “The way we treat African immigrants coming south to find a better life can help or harm South Africa. The bottom line (is) we need Africa and its goodwill”.

He goes further to quote the National Development Plan which says: “We say to one another: I cannot be without you, without you this South African community is an incomplete community, without one single person, without one single group, without the region or the continent, we are not the best that we can be”.

This is what we need to remember on Africa Day