POLOKWANE – The Polokwane central business district (CBD) remained free of anti-illegal immigration demonstrations on Tuesday, despite nationwide protest action calling for undocumented foreign nationals to leave South Africa.

Although no demonstrations took place in the city’s inner core, several businesses operated by Somali, Bangladeshi and Indian nationals were visibly closed, including some in surrounding townships, apparently as a precaution.

Most government departments, courts and private businesses continued operating as normal, with little disruption to daily activities.

The bigger picture

The demonstrations formed part of countrywide action organised in support of the March and March Movement, which called on undocumented foreign nationals to leave South Africa by June 30.

Earlier, major taxi organisations, including Santaco, the Seshego-Polokwane Taxi Association, Flora Park Taxi Association and Mankweng Taxi Association, indicated that they would not participate in the planned demonstrations.

Their decision is believed to have contributed to the absence of protest action in the Polokwane CBD and Seshego, where many foreign nationals live and operate businesses.

Foreign nationals stay away

Foreign nationals are commonly employed in sectors such as public transport, hairdressing, informal trading and retail. On Tuesday, however, fewer were visible in public, with some saying they had chosen to stay away because they feared for their safety.

The situation reflected comments made by Polokwane Municipality spokesperson Thipa Selala on Monday, when he confirmed that the municipality had received no applications to stage marches or demonstrations in the city.

He added that municipal officials, together with police, remained on alert should any unplanned protests emerge.

Protests in Mankweng

While Polokwane remained largely unaffected, thousands of people participated in a march organised by the Dimamo Community Cluster Forum in Mankweng, where demonstrators called on government to take stronger action against undocumented foreign nationals.

Looting reported elsewhere

Elsewhere in Limpopo, provincial police spokesperson Brigadier Hlulani Mashaba confirmed that several people had been arrested for the looting of shops owned by foreign nationals.

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He said, however, that the majority of demonstrations across the province were peaceful.