Residents of Orange Farm took to the streets on Monday, 29 June, during an anti-immigration march to voice their concerns over undocumented immigrants and the state of services at the local Home Affairs office.
The peaceful march concluded with the handover of a memorandum to the Department of Home Affairs. Among the community’s demands were stronger cooperation between Home Affairs and the South African Police Service (SAPS), improved facilities at the local Home Affairs office, including public toilets, and action to address undocumented immigration.
Community representative Bongani Lebati said the march was organised in response to ongoing concerns raised by residents.
“Our community has many complaints about undocumented immigrants. We want Home Affairs to work hand in hand with SAPS to address these issues. We also want better services at the local Home Affairs office, including public toilets, and for government to take action regarding undocumented immigrants,” he said.
Lebati said the community hopes the memorandum will prompt authorities to address their concerns and improve service delivery at the local Home Affairs office.
Sharing a similar view, local resident Lwazi Sithole said South Africans should not be disadvantaged when seeking employment.
“South Africans should not have to compete for the limited job opportunities with undocumented immigrants. We are asking government to review its policies and ensure the Constitution protects the interests of its citizens,” he said.
The organisers said they have given the Department of Home Affairs five days to consider the memorandum and respond to the issues raised. They expressed hope that the department would engage with the community and take meaningful action on their concerns.
