RESIDENTS of Pretoria West took to the streets yesterday accusing asylum seekers and undocumented foreign nationals of turning the residential neighbourhood into an industrial area.
They claimed the undocumented foreign nationals and asylum seekers owned land, sold drugs, ran booming illegal chop shops and other businesses in the area.
According to the residents, those involved in these practices were robbing children who attended Pretoria West High School and the Tshwane University of Technology.
In an early morning protest, they barricaded Luttig, Buitekant, Soutter and WF Nkomo streets.
The SAPS and Tshwane metro police kept an eye on proceedings. One person was arrested for public violence.
But the residents would not back down and claimed the undocumented foreigners even occupied state-owned houses.
They laid the blame on the Desmond Tutu Refugee Reception Centre in Marabastad, saying it was attracting unruly elements to the area.
Kgomotso Mathale of the Concerned Tshwane Residents’ Association claimed one house had between 10 and 30 people staying there.
“We feel this cannot be happening in our residential area.
“Here you will find foreign nationals claiming they own these houses and run businesses from them, but when we investigate we find they came here to apply for asylum at the centre. We are tired as South Africans; it is not an issue of xenophobia.
“When you come into our country obey our laws.”
Tshwane metro police spokesperson Senior Superintendent Isaac Mahamba said: “We are going to have a meeting with residents to hear exactly what they are complaining about.”
The association said its next stop would be Brown Street, notorious for drug dealing. Mathale said they would chase away unruly people since law the enforcement agency were seemingly uninterested.