African Transformation Movement (ATM) parliamentary leader Vuyo Zungula says South Africans are simply exercising their democratically guaranteed right to protest peacefully. Zungula spoke to Sunday World in Johannesburg, where he was part of the crowd that was taking part in the March and March-organised march against undocumented foreign migrants.
“There is no hatred there; there’s no Afrophobia. They are simply talking to their own government, saying you as government must manage this process.”
The member of parliament said it was important for them as leaders to also be in support of ordinary South Africans, as their grievances are known to them.
“We are here as human beings and citizens of this country. The fact that we may occupy political office, that does not insulate us from lived struggles of the people, that is why we decided to come here. We are the people, we are part and parcel of the struggles of the people.”
‘Government has failed the people’
Zungula said the government of the day had failed in dealing and managing migration in the country.
“Just look at the case of Durban, whereby there was 20 000 people from Malawi who are illegal in the country. And when you ask those people from Malawi whether they are in the country legally so, almost all of them are without valid documentation. And that is just one city, Durban, one province, KZN. That should tell you the extent of the crisis that we are in,” he said.
The ATM parliamentary leader said as politicians and people who hold office, they are obligated to encourage South Africans to protest and express whether they agree with those issues or not.
“… the principle of having the right to protest and that right being protected, we must always safeguard it because if we do not have that right, if that right gets to be taken away from South Africans, who knows, we can become the next Zimbabwe, for instance, whereby Zimbabweans, in as much as they do not want what is currently happening whereby the president there is extending his term, cannot protest because of the fear that has been instilled by the government.”
‘Discontent towards government’
Zungula said this wave of sentiment demonstrates that government ought to prioritise the needs of its people and “fear disappointing South Africans and fear not doing right by the citizens of this country”.
He said the fact that the marches have brought the country to a standstill indicates the extent of the grievances, the discontent and the dissatisfaction towards the government. Zungula also commended the peaceful nature of the marches.
“There are no buildings that have been burnt, there are no shops that have been looted, and there is no foreign national that has been killed. This is a demonstration that clearly shows that South Africans are so dissatisfied with how the government has done things.
“It is not the first time that people are talking about the ills of illegal immigration, but the government has not been acting. So the people that should take responsibility for anything and everything that is happening today are the government, which has failed to listen to South Africans,” Zungula said.
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- ATM parliamentary leader Vuyo Zungula emphasized that South Africans are exercising their right to peaceful protest against undocumented foreign migrants, without hatred or Afrophobia.
- Zungula stressed the importance of political leaders supporting citizens' grievances, acknowledging shared struggles despite holding office.
- He criticized the government's failure to manage immigration effectively, citing the example of around 20,000 undocumented Malawian migrants in Durban.
- Zungula highlighted the necessity of safeguarding the right to protest to avoid oppressive situations like in Zimbabwe.
- He commended the peaceful nature of the marches, attributing the unrest to government inaction on illegal immigration and citizens' dissatisfaction.
African Transformation Movement (ATM) parliamentary leader Vuyo
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“We are here as human beings and citizens of this country.
“Just look at the case of Durban, whereby there was 20 000 people from Malawi who are illegal in the country.
“… the principle of having the right to protest and that right being protected, we must always safeguard it because if we do not have that right, if that right gets to be taken away from
He said the fact that the marches have brought the country to a standstill indicates the extent of the grievances, the discontent and the dissatisfaction towards the government.
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"It is not the first time that people are talking about the ills of illegal immigration, but the government has not been acting. So the people that should take responsibility for anything and everything that is happening today are the government, which has failed to to
Visit SW YouTube Channel for our video content
