Middelburg police urge organisers to follow legal channels
March and March call for a shutdown, alleging they were threatened with violence by foreign nationals.
Members of March and March claim they were intimidated and threatened by foreign nationals in the Middelburg CBD yesterday (July 15).
According to the chairperson of March and March, Sfiso Masemula, the alleged threats ‘have sparked renewed concerns over local safety and the responsiveness of law enforcement’.
“We were in the Truworths passage when foreign nationals threatened to shoot us after we asked them for their documentation,” Masemula stated.
He said he was frustrated over what he describes as ‘a lack of protection for South African citizens within their own borders’.
“They told us they are here to stay, called us a bunch of hooligans, and even threatened to shoot us.”
Masemula questioned the ‘silence of national departments’, calling on the police, the Department of Home Affairs, and local law enforcement to urgently intervene.
“March and March is mobilising for a local shutdown to protest about our lack of protection. We are warning that Middelburg is currently sitting on a ticking time bomb,” Masemula said.
He added that the group will no longer tolerate such intimidation, stating that the situation has escalated to a dangerous point.
The Middelburg police confirmed that they were aware of the tension but noted a procedural lapse on the part of March and March executives.
Warrant Officer Nonhlanhla Mdluli said a March and March executive failed to notify the police, preventing law enforcement from deploying officers to accompany and secure the demonstrators.
“We urge community groups to follow proper legal channels and notify police ahead of any public gatherings to ensure public safety and prevent clashes,” Mdluli said.
