‘We march because they sell drugs and take our jobs’
DURING the march against foreigners on Friday, Sowetan interviewed three South Africans on the reasons they participated in the mass action.
Olebogeng Ipeleng The 20-year-old is a student at Jeppe College. He hails from Taung, a town in North West, but stays with his parents in Pretoria.
He went to the march after class, and scribbled a placard accusing illegal immigrants of bringing drugs to the country.
“I’m part of this march because I’m also a citizen of South Africa,” he told Sowetan.
His driving force to join the march was his belief that foreign shop operators sell expired food.
“Where I come from in Taung there was a guy who was sent to buy cereal for a child. He found that the food was expired,” he said.
“It worries me that people from outside the country sell expired products.
“I also saw a programme on TV called Leihlo la Sechaba just a few days ago. They were talking about prostitutes. Girls from the age of 12 were used as prostitutes by Nigerian guys.
“I’m here to participate so that these people can be charged or go back to their countries.
Thabiso Vincent Ntuli The 28-year-old hails from Verena in Mpumalanga. He travels to his workplace in Pretoria by bus every day.
He joined the march because he believed foreigners were displacing locals from jobs.
“Our brothers are unemployed. As an example, there was a fellow South African here who was full of mud,” he said. “People from outside the country are working in offices. These are jobs that should be ours. They are educated yes, but in whose country? In our country.” He accused Nigerians of selling drugs. “They tell us we’re stupid. They are here for money.” Turning to Zimbabweans, Ntuli alleged they were stealing jobs by agreeing to take paltry pay. “People from Zimbabwe are not selling drugs, but they are messing us up in jobs,” he said. “You’ll find that your parents struggled to raise you up and took you to varsity, but you can’t find a job because Zimbabweans agree to being paid R40 a day. “In whose country are we demanding more? Every work opportunity here is made for us.” Neo Mokoena The man from Stinkwater, a rural community 58km north of Pretoria, is a cool drink vendor in the city. Mokoena does not blame foreign nationals for unemployment, but accuses Nigerians of peddling drugs. He believed they should leave the country, hence he joined the march. “I’m not too sure if foreigners are to blame for our unemployment. I’m unemployed too and I also blame my laziness to look for a job,” Mokoena said. “I’m concerned the most about drugs. Nigerians are here for drugs. They are only here for a fancy lifestyle. They are driving expensive cars. “You find someone who’s here a short time driving a big Mercedes Benz, while I don’t have it. ”–