Groups of protesters have demanded more stringent immigration laws while marching through South Africa’s capital city of Pretoria directing their anger at African immigrants.
Under the banner of #PutSouthAfricansFirst, small groups of people marched from Church Square to the Nigerian Embassy.
They said the government has failed to put South Africans first and have called for the mass deportation of illegal immigrants as well as the revoking of grants and other state benefits.
Various organizations including South Africa First and “Only One SA” have handed over a memorandum of demands at the Nigerian Embassy following a march through the Pretoria CBD.
Action for change’s Nandi Gachwari said their demands were clear.
“We demand an end to human trafficking in Pretoria and, broadly, South Africa; the deportation of all illegal immigrants; the exposure of corruption in flawed Home Affairs processes that grant citizenship to undeserving foreign nationals.”
High Commissioner Kabiru Bala said while he accepted the memorandum, it was unfair that only Nigerians should be blamed for South Africa’s social and economic ills.
The organizations vowed to return to the streets if their demands were not met.
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