Nigerians, others hold anti-Xenophobia walk in Johannesburg

By Debo Oshundun and Wole Sogunle

Hundreds of Nigerians on Friday joined other nationals in an anti-Xenophobia walk in Alexandra, a satellite town in Johannesburg, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.

The march was part of activities lined up by the authorities of Gauteng province to mark the third year of xenophobic attacks on foreigners by some South African youths.

The May 2008, xenophobic attacks, which began in Alexandra, swept through other parts of the country resulting in the death of many foreigners.

Also taking part in the walk were Zimbabweans, Cameroonians and South Africans.

Putas Tseki, Chairperson of Confederation of South African Trade Unions (COSATU), Gauteng  Province, organisers of the event told NAN that the anti-Xenophobic campaign was taking off from Alexandra because the attacks began there.

He said that the perception that Africans fleeing their countries for South Africa and taking away jobs from the locals which led to the attacks was condemnable.

“A free and democratic South Africa will not have been achieved if it was not with the support from the people of Nigeria, Cameroun, Zimbabwe, Swaziland, Lesotho, Namibia, Tanzania, among others in the continent,” Tseki said.

He said  rather than be further apart, Africans should learn from each other, noting that the continent would benefit from the solidarity and respect for its citizens.

“There is lot we need to learn from ourselves as Africans. If others have certain tactics and skills we don’t have we have to learn from them.

 “People of the continent love each other, we are not enemies among ourselves but we know that the  colonialists and  imperialists have divided Africa ,” he said.

Tseki said the anti-Xenophobic campaign was aimed to further unite Africans and friends of Africa.

COSATU, in a statement on the event, said the union and the other stakeholders boldly take the struggle against xenophobia seriously.

  “We want to highlight that our struggle was never a struggle to liberate South Africa in the absence of other African people.

“We as a collective say that xenophobic attacks are acts of criminality that seek to derail the transformation agenda of South Africa and the continent,” it added.

Mr Uchenna Obiora, Assistant Organising Secretary, Ohaneze Ndigbo South Africa, who joined others to organise the event, told NAN that the collaboration was commendable as it would strengthen the spirit of brotherliness in the country.

“We are happy to be part of it,” he said, adding  that the event was timed to fall in September which is the heritage month in South Africa.

He said that the New Yam Festival, which will be marked by the Ohaneze Ndigbo in South Africa on Sept. 3, was also part of the Heritage Month activities.

Obiora said COSATU and the other Africans would  join at the Festival to enhance brotherliness and unity.

South Africa, Zimbabwe, Cameroon and Nigeria, are also taking part in a 4- nation soccer tournament holding at Alexandra  Stadium as part of activities to mark the day. (NAN)