JOHANNESBURG - As South Africa marks Freedom Month, a march through the streets of Johannesburg is challenging the meaning of that freedom.
Civil society groups are taking a stand against xenophobia and demanding dignity, equality, and justice for all who live in the country.
Hundreds gathered in Newtown for a march to Constitutional Hill, through the inner city.
Organisers say the route is symbolic, reflecting the country’s constitutional promise of dignity for all.
Lawyers for Human Rights’ Sharon Ekambaran said: “There is no research to show that migrants are taking resources away from South African workers.”
“In fact, they bring their culture, their diversity, to enrich our country in South Africa. The problem is inequality, and we’ve been one of the most unequal countries in the world for decades.”
March convenor Mametlwe Sebei said the real crisis lies in unemployment, corruption, and failing public services, not migration.
“This demonstration is first and foremost a statement that the few xenophobes that are out there, harassing migrants, scapegoating all the problems that we have, are not speaking for all of us.
“Our services are crumbling because of corruption, because of austerity… That’s the reason we have hospitals that are poorly staffed, poorly equipped.”
Monwabisi Mbasa of Treatment Action Campaign said inflammatory rhetoric risks fuelling violence and deepening division.
“We want to condemn the hatred behind the behaviour that is advanced by organisations such as Operation Dudula and March and March. We are saying that’s totally unacceptable.”