South Africa’s largest labor unions on Wednesday called on workers not to participate in anti-migrant protests, warning of potential consequences for their employment. This comes amid heightened tensions in the country ahead of June 30, when anti-migrant groups are demanding that all undocumented foreigners leave the country.
Protests and possible public unrest are expected to occur by this date, continuing weeks of xenophobic attacks that have sometimes turned violent. The unions stated that workers who miss work to participate in such actions may face negative repercussions.
Four major labor union federations, including the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU), which represents about 2 million people, as well as FEDUSA, SAFTU, and NACTU, issued a joint statement. They emphasized that workers will not be protected if they do not go to work on June 30 and urged them not to jeopardize their employment. The unions supported President Cyril Ramaphosa‘s call yesterday not to make migrants scapegoats for South Africa’s problems.
In their joint statement, the unions noted: “Removing foreign nationals from workplaces, communities, or public spaces will not restore factories, fix municipalities, strengthen public healthcare, or create sustainable jobs”.
Rising Tensions and Repatriation
South Africa, the continent’s largest economy, has long attracted a significant number of foreign workers, offering more job opportunities than many other African countries. However, in recent months, some politicians have exploited this issue, blaming migrants for the spread of poverty and crime.
South African media reported on Wednesday about clashes between police and thousands of Malawian citizens who were waiting to be repatriated in the coastal city of Durban. According to News24, police used stun grenades and tear gas after the crowd became agitated.
The Malawian government said earlier this week that about 10,000 of its citizens are in distress and hope to return from South Africa. Malawi is organizing buses to bring its citizens back home and has appealed to the public for donations to support these efforts. The Malawian government stated its commitment to bringing back every citizen who wants to leave South Africa, but noted that the scale and urgency of the repatriation operation have created unprecedented financial, logistical, and humanitarian demands.
Due to concerns about the safety of their citizens, other countries, including Ghana, Nigeria, and Mozambique, have also carried out repatriations.
Source: The Straits Times