VIDEO: eMbalenhle community marches to Secunda over illegal immigration concerns
The movement has given both SAPS and the Department of Home Affairs until July 13 to respond to the issues raised in the memorandum.
eMbalenhle community, under the banner of the March and March movement, marched from eMbalenhle to Secunda on July 2 to hand over memorandums to the Department of Home Affairs and the police.
They demanded that the two institutions outline their plans to address illegal immigration as per their constitutional mandate.
The march temporarily disrupted traffic along the R580 between eMbalenhle and Secunda, which was closed while demonstrators made their way to Secunda.
March and March Secunda leader and Mpumalanga deputy chairperson, Nomandla Ndlovu, said the movement is implementing the first phase of nationwide marches calling for undocumented immigrants to leave South Africa.
“What we want will be fulfilled. We want all illegal immigrants to leave the country, and we need to be patient as we are working together with our government. We hope all our grievances can be resolved peacefully,” said Ndlovu.
In the memorandum, the movement states concerns about the high number of undocumented immigrants in the country and the impact they believe this has on unemployment, public safety, security, and the socio-economic well-being of communities.
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According to the memorandum, the influx of undocumented immigrants has contributed to challenges such as identity theft, fraud, drug trafficking, human trafficking, extortion, and other criminal activities that undermine the law, disrupt the economy, and place the lives of citizens at risk.
The movement has given both SAPS and the Department of Home Affairs until July 13 to respond to the issues raised in the memorandum.
Colonel Nomakhwezi Sigo, Secunda Police Station commander, received the memorandum on behalf of SAPS, while Bongane Mashabene, acting office manager for the Secunda Department of Home Affairs, accepted the memorandum on behalf of the department.
Both officials assured the marchers that their respective institutions would respond within the timeframe stipulated in the memorandum. The leaders called off the march on June 30, citing the need to support the provincial march in eMalahleni on that day.
