Foreign nationals refuse to leave Durban centre despite police safety assurances

Added: 2026-05-21

[00:00:00]Well, let's focus on another metro area in our country. This time Durban and Pinetown on the one hand a march against illegal immigrants on the other foreign nationals camping outside various places. They were outside a Durban police station earlier in the week. They've also been gathering outside the Diakonia Center in Durban which over many decades has been a center of human rights activity. So, what's the latest there? The march on the one hand the foreign nationals saying they need police protection because they've been threatened.

[00:00:36]Slangslama Bhasso keeping an eye on both and trying to balance things up for us joins us now. Slangslama very good afternoon to you.

[00:00:44]Let's maybe start with where you are now. Just fill us in on what you where you are what you're seeing and and what's unfolded during the day. Good afternoon.

[00:00:55]Well, good afternoon John. Maybe let me first take you back to Durban Central Diakonia Center. A center for refugees that was a hub of activities because of yesterday's proceedings when police dispersed the group of marching foreign nationals who then camped the whole night at the refugee center and are still there even as we speak. But currently now here in the Pinetown CBD a march by march and march just concluded.

[00:01:21]It was a quick one really John because in the morning we were told it was just a quick in and out but it seemed after lunch the members of march and march and Lakota which is a labor labor affiliated union of the MK party then emerged into a one thing where they were basically marching against the the the issue of selling of drugs illegal foreigners as well here in Pinetown. They targeted what is known to be a hotspot area in Crompton. Mhm. I live in this area John. I for one know this town to have been one very clean town but today it's smelling all over.

[00:01:58]There's um broken windows, buildings left abandoned. But, what was intriguing, John, is senior police officers confirming to some of the match organizers that indeed in this particular building, police have held a various um raids, a lot of arrests made, drugs found in each and every night they made. Then, it brings question as to why is the city quiet about this? And then, brings question as to why government is not taking this issue seriously. But, what made the protesters or the matches rather angry, John, is the fact that when they got to the particular building, a number of public order police officers were deployed and prevented them from entering. They submitted their memorandum of demands to the police authorities, but that shut down of the 30th of June, John, they say when it comes, they do not want to find such things anywhere.

[00:02:47]Thank you very much with that update.

[00:02:49]And Slindelo Maso moving between Pietermaritzburg and Durban covering a story that, of course, has had equivalent things happening uh in the city of Johannesburg where there have been protests as well.