Immigrant families live in terror after being stoned by March and March crowds

Zimbabwean Jestina Ngondoma shows the broken window at her home in Yeoville, Johannesburg, damaged by protesters during Tuesday’s anti-immigrant march. Photos: Ihsaan Haffejee

• Immigrant families living in Yeoville and other parts of inner-city Johannesburg say they have been left traumatised after violent March and March protesters stoned their homes on Tuesday.
• Some people were hit by stones and others beaten with sticks. There were also a few attempted house break-ins.
• The police say 900 arrests were reported nationwide for offences including public violence, looting and crimes against immigrants.

Jestina Ngondoma from Zimbabwe recalled the terrifying moment when a large stone thrown by March and March protestors narrowly missed her head while outside her home in Yeoville, Johannesburg, on Tuesday.

Across the country, thousands of people marched on Tuesday, demanding that all undocumented immigrants leave South Africa.

Later that day, there were reports in Yeoville of public toilets set alight, rocks thrown, houses looted and ransacked and bystanders assaulted. Journalists were also reported to have been harassed and assaulted.

On Wednesday, we found some Yeoville residents cleaning up debris. Among them was Ngondoma, whose windows had been broken by stones thrown by protesters yesterday. She said protesters swore and demanded that immigrants go back to their home countries, regardless of their legal status.

Ngondoma said she had stayed home from work in anticipation of Tuesday’s protest. Later that day, her husband came home with bruises on his face. He said March and March protesters beat him up.

Ngondoma and her husband have lived in South Africa for 24 years. Her husband has a general work visa. She has been struggling to apply for a spousal visa at Home Affairs for years. Regardless, she travels to Zimbabwe occasionally just to keep a valid stamp in her passport.

“We no longer feel safe in South Africa, because even people who are documented are being attacked,” she said.

A young woman cradles a baby while hanging her washing outside a building in central Johannesburg where many immigrant families came under attack by anti-immigrant protesters.

Immigrants we spoke to in Yeoville and inner-city Johannesburg say they are still traumatised after the march. Some people who were on the streets reported being hit by stones while others were beaten with sticks. There were a few attempted house break-ins.

Mete Elodie, from the Democratic Republic of Congo, says her home was badly damaged after stones were thrown by marchers. The windows of her car are also broken. She said the incident traumatised her and she was scared for her life.

Elodie said she arrived 24 years ago after fleeing unrest with her sister. She has refugee status. Her sister has since relocated to England.

“We feel scared because the police cannot protect us,” said Elodie.

Moila Musoja inside an apartment which had rocks thrown through its windows on Tuesday.

The violent protesters also went to buildings along Davies Street in the inner-city. Residents say marchers lit a fire on the street and attempted to burn the buildings before police managed to contain the situation.

Moila Musoja, mother of four, said she was inside her flat on the fourth floor when stones and empty bottles came flying through the window. She instructed her children to hide under the bed to avoid getting hurt. She said her younger child had a nightmare after the incident.

“The marchers said they would come back. My children are traumatised,” said Musoja.

Machine Masina was hit on the head by a stone thrown by protesters.

Machine Masina from Lesotho says around 3pm he saw a large crowd marching towards him. He ran away but they started pelting him with stones. One stone hit his head and he began bleeding. He was taken to hospital, where they bandaged his head. He said he can barely sleep due to severe headaches.

Ethel Musonza, from Zimbabwe Isolated Women in South Africa, said many immigrants from Zimbabwe, Malawi, Tanzania and Mozambique have turned to their embassies for help in recent weeks.

Musonza said that while some Zimbabwean and Malawian immigrants had managed to board buses back home, many remain stranded.

A building in central Johannesburg hwere immigrants were attacked by protesters.

“Xenophobia has been prevalent in South Africa for a long time. Election years are the worst because politicians continue to scapegoat immigrants for the country’s failure just to win votes. The government should intervene because immigrants continue to suffer and lose their lives,” said Musonza.

“Throughout these attacks, children suffer the most,” she added and called for an urgent intervention from the South African government.

A statement by SAPS Lieutenant General Tebello Mosikili confirmed that 120 marches took place nationwide, with 108 being peaceful and 12 requiring police intervention.

He said 900 arrests were reported nationwide for offences including public violence and looting and crimes against immigrants.

Support independent journalism
Donate using Payfast