In Photos: Hundreds march in Benoni, warning immigrants to leave by 30 June

Protesters arrived from hostels, carrying sticks and shields, as an anti-immigrant march proceeded through Actonville, Wattville and other areas in Benoni on Friday. Photos: Ihsaan Haffejee

On Friday, hundreds of people descended on the BP Garage in Actonville to march through Benoni in Ekurhuleni, to call for immigrants illegally in South Africa to leave.

The march was part of the Greater Benoni Rolling Mass Action week, targeting areas such as Etwatwa, Chief Luthuli, Mayfield, Chris Hani and Wattville, which will culminate in Daveyton on Saturday, with leaders of the March and March movement set to attend.

Residents from Benoni and Wattville, and later on a large group from surrounding hostels joined.

A policeman stops a group of school kids from joining the anti-immigrant march.

The convenors described it as “a peaceful march against crime and illegal immigration”.

The protesters proceeded to march, many with sticks in hand, chanting mabahambe (“they must go”) and singing songs. Marchers were seen destroying ANC posters along the route.

As they proceeded, they attracted people from townships and informal settlements and were cheered on. Some learners also joined, but police intervened. Traffic was brought to a standstill.

Immigrant shops and vending stalls around Actonville and Wattville closed for the day.

Oupa Sello, one of the local organisers of the anti-immigrant protests in the greater Benoni area, addressed protesters in Actonville.

Oupa Sello, one of the march organisers, accused undocumented immigrants of taking over the informal economy and being responsible for unemployment, hijackings, cable theft, drugs, and murder.

“We also want to fix the future of our youth who are on drugs to help build our future president. If we don’t do that, the next president might be a foreigner,” said Sello.

“If illegal immigrants do not leave the country by 30 June, we will have to come up with a different form of action, which will be decided in due time,” he said.

People from this informal settlement joined the march.

Sizwe Weyi, from SANCO and Daveyton Crime Alert, said immigrant-owned spaza shops should be closed to make way for South Africans.

Several people who joined the march said they are unemployed and hope to get jobs currently taken by foreign nationals after 30 June.

After the protestors left Actonville, some immigrant shop owners reopened their shops but kept security doors locked while serving customers.

Bangladesh shop owners, Asif Khan and Mohammed Rashid, said they will not leave the country unless the South African government tells them to do so.

“I have been in South Africa for 17 years, and I have a business. Why should I go back home?” asked Rashid.

A resident of Wattville watches from her home as protesters march through the streets.

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