More than 2,000 Zimbabweans have been sheltering at a Cape Town processing centre as fears grew ahead of possible June 30 protests.
Many businesses will likely keep their doors closed on June 30 due to the threat of public violence from anti-immigration protests, but business and labour organisations say foreigners are incorrectly being blamed for South Africa’s tottering economy.
A National Economic Development and Labour Council (NEDLAC) coalition, comprising Cosatu, Fedusa, Saftu and Nactu, said their message from organised labour was clear: migrants are not to blame for the country’s economic malaise.
In a statement in response to growing tensions around migration and illegal immigration, and recognising the legitimate frustrations of millions of South Africans grappling with high unemployment, poverty, inequality, and crumbling public services, the organisations said “The economic crisis in South Africa is rooted in issues like economic stagnation, corruption, de-industrialisation, mass unemployment and weak governance,” rather than immigrants.
This concern was echoed by Pietermaritzburg Chamber of Business chief executive Melanie Veness, who said foreigners in South Africa had become the scapegoats to anti-immigration protestors for the weak state of the economy.
