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The Land Party has condemned the police’s handling of a protest by foreigners in Durban, where law enforcement deployed rubber bullets, tear gas and stun grenades to disperse the crowd.
On Tuesday, hundreds of foreigners gathered outside the Durban Central police station seeking safety and refuge.
The demonstration followed a wave of threats from anti-illegal immigrant groups during recent protests targeting undocumented foreigners.
When the crowd refused to leave the police station, police deployed rubber bullets and stun grenades to disperse them, resulting in several injuries.
The Land Party argued that law enforcement is obligated to protect everyone within SA’s borders, regardless of their nationality.
“There are pregnant women among the group of foreign nationals camping outside the Durban police station,” party spokesperson Avela Sithonga said. “It is the responsibility of the police to provide safety and security to all people, regardless of their nationality.”
The party has called on the KwaZulu-Natal provincial government to urgently intervene by providing shelter and security to the foreigners.
Tensions in the city escalated after an anti-illegal immigrant group launched protests demanding the immediate deportation of undocumented foreigners. During these demonstrations, some protestors were seen harassing and intimidating foreigners, demanding to see their documentation.
Land Party leader Gcobani Ndzonga blamed IFP supporters for the escalating tensions, accusing them of exploiting the immigration crisis to push an “anti-black” agenda.
“They are being used by the enemies of black people in our country to cause instability by attacking any voice that does not support their right-wing, violent approach against other humans,” Ndzonga said.
“These right-wing Inkatha brigades breathe hatred against their fellow Africans. They are not attacking illegal migrants because they are patriotic, they do so because they hate anyone who looks like them but speaks a different language.”
Ndzonga emphasised that tribalism must be rejected in favour of true patriotism.
“Tribalists masquerading as patriots must be rejected,” he stated. “Patriotism is to love your nation and its people without hating outsiders. Patriotism is to defend your nation and your people, not to hate those who look like you. You cannot claim to defend your country and its people while hating your fellow Africans.”
He called for government to take action.
“The government must quickly intervene before real patriots stand up and defend their country from our internal enemies — the right-wing forces and those collaborating with external enemies to destabilise our country.”
TimesLIVE
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