Determined members of March and March Civic Movement together with members of the Refilwe township community handed two memorandums of grievances to the Cullinan Police Station on Thursday regarding the debilitating issue of illegal foreigners in their community.
The memorandums were received by Cullinan Station Commander Colonel Jacques Leonard who promised to pass them on to the higher echelons of the SAPS.
Refilwe township community leader Angie Makgabathiba told Tshwane Talks that there is insufficient visible policing in the township and that criminal activities including those committed by undocumented foreigners were rife in the community.
She urged SAPS to conduct lawful inspections at workplaces and rented properties to root out illegal foreigners.
She decried the fact that SAPS members in many instances refuse to act against illegal foreigners.
“We respectfully request SAPS’ assistance in our efforts to engage with landlords and property owners who continue to accommodate undocumented foreigners,” said Makgabathiba as she in the process called for regular and improved communication between the Cullinan Police Station and the Refilwe community.
March and March Tshwane Convener Eddie Malebe told Tshwane Talks that their presence at Cullinan is part of a larger plan by his organisation to hand out pamphlets to conscientise communities about the issue of illegal foreigners.
He revealed that the issue of illegal foreigners is very concerning in Cullinan because the said foreigners are presently occupying lots of jobs in the area, whereas many local residents remain jobless.
Malebe lamented the fact that some groups of people in Cullinan have made it their duty to collect “protection fee” from illegal Spaza Shop owners and that such groups have now threatened some members of the community not to attend March and March events and that this has led to attendance of the march on Thursday being low.
“Nevertheless, we have decided to carry on with our march because if we stop then we will be giving protection fee collectors undeserved due and power,” he said.
MK Party and Operation Dudula members also attended the meeting to lend support to March and March’s cause.
One of the leaders of the march told the crowd that what they are asking of the police is nothing extraordinary but merely a request for them to follow and implement the Constitution of the country.
“Foreigners commit crimes yet the police turn a blind eye to this and the police must remember that it is our taxes as citizens which make it possible for them to live comfortably and be able to provide for their families,” he said.
He said by doing nothing about illegal foreigners working in Cullinan in particular and in South Africa in general as cheap labourers, the police are aiding and abetting modern-day slavery.
See attached for the memorandum of grievances submitted by March and March and the community of Refilwe to the Cullinan Police Station.
Tshwane Talks readers have been able to read stories in this publication for free for over two years now. We still want our readers to access our stories for free, but we are asking those among our readers who can afford it to contribute at least R30 a month to cover some of the costs of publishing this independent, non-aligned online newspaper which gives a voice to all sectors of society irrespective of race, colour, creed, religion, or political affiliation. You may make your contribution by depositing at least R30 a month into Tshwane Talks' bank account. Details are as follows:
Bank Details
Bank: Standard Bank
Account Number: 10225548834
Account Type: Cheque Account