As South Africa prepares for nationwide anti-illegal immigration protests on Tuesday, Parliament has urged street vendors, informal traders and small business operators to take extra precautions and avoid exposing themselves to unnecessary danger.
The warning comes from the chairperson of Parliament’s Select Committee on Economic Development and Trade, Sonja Boshoff, as concerns grow over the potential for unrest linked to the self-imposed June 30 deadline announced by anti-illegal immigration activists.
The protest campaign has gathered momentum over recent weeks, with demonstrations taking place in several communities since late April. Organisers have indicated they intend to escalate their campaign unless government demonstrates stronger enforcement of immigration laws.
While acknowledging that many South Africans have legitimate concerns about illegal immigration, Boshoff stressed that such frustrations must never be allowed to descend into violence.
“The concerns many South Africans have regarding the impact of illegal immigration are genuine and deserve to be heard. These concerns point to systemic failures that require decisive and lawful action by government. However, no grievance can ever justify vandalism, intimidation, assault or any other form of criminal conduct,” Boshoff said.
