As voters headed to the polls on Wednesday to make their all-important mark, community leaders and anti-xenophobic activists have voiced their concerns around safety.
Global South Against Xenophobia, One Voice For All Hawkers Association and the Botshabelo Unemployed Movement raised concerns about communities and public safety during elections.
They say certain political parties were “virulently anti-immigrant and xenophobic in their election manifestos and political stance”.
The organisations called on all authorities to work together to ensure the safety of voters at the polls.
“We are calling on all political parties, state institutions, voters and the general public to conduct themselves in a peaceful, non-violent manner during voting and post the elections. We make this call bearing in mind that all people living in the Republic have the right to safety at all times, accorded them by the Constitution, including during elections, whether or not they participate in voting.
“We also emphasise the vulnerability of local South African citizens and non-locals from other African countries and Asia in grass-roots and working-class communities, especially in times of heightened socio-political tension that threaten violence.
“The July 2021 unrest, stemming from discord among political elites, resulted in 350 deaths and many injuries to mainly poor and working-class people, is a case in point. We witnessed the inability of the government and state security forces to respond effectively to stabilise the situation.
“Poor and working-class communities bore the brunt in fatalities even though they had not instigated the riots, in which non-local truck drivers and other non-local brothers and sisters were harmed.”
The organisations said the elections showed similar tension that was worth noting.
“In this current hostile climate against immigrants, we are anxious that these parties’ supporters might feel encouraged to engage in acts of intimidation and violence against non-locals if riots do occur during the elections.”
Cape Times