By Sihle Mavuso
Anti-illegal immigration activist Nkosikhona Phakelumthakathi Ndabandaba has warned Pakistani shop owners in Mooi River, KwaZulu-Natal, that South Africans are “not afraid of war”, during a protest against the employment of foreign nationals.
Ndabandaba was leading a picket against trucking companies that allegedly employ foreign drivers, arguing that truck driving is not a scarce skill and that such jobs should be reserved for South Africans.
Leading a group of protesters in the Midlands town along the N3 freeway, he warned that if trucking companies and the government failed to respond to their demands, the campaign would be escalated.
The protesters later marched through the town and confronted a group of Pakistani shop owners.
Ndabandaba accused foreign business owners of abusing South Africans’ hospitality and warned that activists could change their approach if their concerns were not addressed.
He also referred to an incident involving a Pakistani shop owner in Gamalakhe, near Port Shepstone, whom he accused of provoking local residents.
Addressing the group, Ndabandaba said: “You (Pakistanis) must understand that South Africans have kept you, they have housed you, they have loved you, they have kept you warm, but one of you guys, like the one in Gamalakhe in Port Shepstone, actually caused a problem. I am going there on Saturday to meet him because we are telling these men and women every day that please don’t loot these shops, don’t kill these people until we have an understanding with them.”
“But if one of you guys comes and grabs the police, shakes them in their uniform and tells them they are nothing, pointing fingers at our police, I am the soldier, I am the police, I am the regiment’s commander in this country. I am not taking chances. I know war, I am the war. We have one million strong men that even the police can’t stop when we start this, but we respect the police. We can do this peacefully. We can find solutions peacefully, but you must respect the laws of this country. You must not give us attitude because we have a bigger attitude.”
Police closely monitored the confrontation but no violence was reported.
Responding on behalf of the Pakistani shop owners, a man who declined to be named rejected allegations that they had shown disrespect to South Africans or the police.
“We will comply with the rules and the regulations of this country. We will be peaceful. We will not do something which is illegal. You will never find us doing something illegal,” he said.
INSIDE POLITICS
