Protest March Against Police Attacks of African Migrants - Africa Unite!

Africa Solidarity Network (ASONET) Press Statement

PROTEST ON 8 December 2015

Protest Police Attack to African Migrants

Africa for all Africans but this has become just one of those slogans that does not exist in the soil of South Africa.

In earlier this year as Africans we faced attacks. Our brothers and sisters were killed by their own black brothers. We ran to the protection of police to protect us but some of us had to be attacked in front of the police. When we were also killed we ran to police but we were turned down when we wanted to open cases or more worse arrested and deported back to our country of war and origin.

We never thought that for once in Africa we can be called names like "kwerekwere" "foreigners". We cried for help but it was like we are not human. They shouted "awahambe amakwerekwere".

When we thought the storm is over, never did we knew that the worse is about to happen but this time not by citizens but by the police. We were told that soldiers will be sent to protect us in the name of Fiela but in actual fact it was another way to continue to where xenophobia left of.

Fiela only targets black migrants, it is xenophobia on it own. No week pass without us not hiding in our homes like rats. The freedom charter says "South Africa is for all who lives in it" but those for us is just theory which does not exist to the life we face.

We respect South Africa as an African home. Despite that King Zwelithini called us names saying "singamanikiniki" but never do we look down to South Africa. Thanks to the Freedom Charter and its constitution as we hold it as our shield to all these attacks.

We also note that government is using his institution to promote xenophobia. The attacks does not only come in a form of arrest, fiela but  comes in a form of corruption where police will raid and take our money demanding for work permits. Even when we show them but they still seek for something to use to get access to our money. We are human, we are parents who work for our families but never do they care about the mouths we feed behind.

Tomorrow we will be jointly protesting with Nigerians Union against these attacks formed against us. We will be fighting for our rights and the respect of the Freedom charter and constitution to be respected and implemented.

Enough is enough. We call upon all human rights activist, organizations to stand with us as we will be marching to City Hall.

The protest will start at King Dinuzulu (DCC) and proceed to City Hall at 10:00am where we will hand over our memorandum.

Let's unite against all odds formed against Africans in Africa.

For more information please contact

Daniel Byamungu- Asonet Secretary : ‭+27 61 920 1622‬
Musa Shezi - Asonet Chairperson : ‭+27 73 826 5600‬
Bandile Mdlalose - Asonet Management - 0733977853