Johannesburg - Gauteng Premier David Makura described Thursday’s ‘No to Xenophobia’ march in Johannesburg as an important statement to the world that the spate of anti-foreigner violence which has plagued the country would not succeed.
“We are coming together to say xenophobia will not succeed in our country and lifetime. We are together for unity and to ensure that a message is sent out loud and clear,” Makhura told a crowd of several thousand people at the march in Hillbrow.
Makhura said the country would defeat xenophobia like it did with apartheid.
“If you attack any foreign nationals, it’s an attack on us. South Africa is a country for peace.”
JP Lukhamba from the African Diaspora Forum said: “I’m home, I’m proud of all of you and you have showed us that you are Pan African.”
Lukhamba said as African migrants they understood the country’s problems such as HIV/Aids, electricity cuts, and unemployment, but by attacking foreigners the situation was made worse.
He called on people’s to work together.
The ‘No to Xenophobia’ march followed the murder of seven people over the past three weeks in Johannesburg and Durban.
ANA