UPDATE: March concludes peacefully in Brakpan (VIDEO)
The demonstration concluded in Dalview after organisers met with a local business owner who committed to accepting CVs from residents and considering them for future employment, bringing a day of peaceful protests to a close.
The March and March demonstration concluded peacefully in Brakpan this afternoon with participants dispersing without incident after a day of marching throughout town.
The march ended at Plus Super Perry’s in Dalview, where the group had dwindled to about 30 to 40 participants.
The protesters wanted to hand over a memorandum to the store’s owner, John Paul Desepueira.
March organiser Smanga Mejoane met with Desepueira, who engaged with the group and committed to accepting CVs from local residents and considering them for employment opportunities.
Participants welcomed the engagement, and the demonstration concluded shortly afterwards as the remaining protesters dispersed peacefully.
As reported earlier by the Herald, the marchers moved through Brakpan this morning after leaving their assembly point in Brakpan North.
The group of about 20 people proceeded along Voortrekker Road, singing as they marched, with numbers increasing throughout the morning.
By around 09:00, about 40 people had joined the march.
The Herald witnessed a workshop along the route closing its gates after noticing the group approaching.
The group had intended to pass Shoprite in the Brakpan CBD, but the route submitted by organisers to SAPS and the EMPD did not include this area.
The marchers engaged with SAPS before returning to the approved route.
Some participants said they felt discouraged by what they described as “excuses” preventing them from passing Shoprite.
About an hour later, the group had grown to between 60 and 70 people.
The marchers later stopped along Victoria Avenue, between residential flats, saying they wanted to enter one of the buildings to verify the status of residents.
They requested assistance from SAPS, but police advised that immigration officials would be required to verify the status of undocumented individuals before any searches or arrests could take place.
Some participants left after being informed they could not search the flats. By around 10:30, however, the group had grown to about 100 people.
The marchers moved along Wenden Street, Station Road and back to Voortrekker Road. More people later joined the march.
A labour department representative was then called to Jansen’s Meat Market, where the protesters had gathered over allegations of undocumented migrant employment.
Law enforcement guarded the butchery’s entrance and prevented the group from entering.
ALSO CHECK: Small group gathers for March and March demonstration in Brakpan North
The representative reportedly facilitated talks between organisers and the butchery’s management.
Most businesses in the CBD remained closed, with some shop owners moving displays away from windows as a precaution against possible looting.
Vegetable hawkers were absent, and the taxi rank was largely empty.
The Herald can also confirm that a small group of about 30 people in Leachville was going from house to house, but SAPS was notified and intervened.
There was also a small group in Dalpark that was dispersed without incident.
