Thembisa protesters vow to keep marching until foreign-run shops close

More than a thousand people marched through the streets of Thembisa on the East Rand on Tuesday demanding the closure of businesses they claim are operating illegally and calling for undocumented immigrants to leave South Africa.

The march, which remained largely peaceful under police watch, drew residents from different sections of the township who said unemployment, crime and a lack of economic opportunities had pushed them to take to the streets.

Community leader Thabo Maremane from Phomolong section said the marches would continue until authorities acted against illegal businesses and undocumented immigrants living in the area.

“We have a lot of illegal foreigners who are tenants in most of the houses here in Phomolong. We need them to go,” he said.

Maremane warned that residents would consider going door to door to identify undocumented tenants if the government failed to intervene.

He also claimed that companies in the Phomolong industrial area were employing undocumented immigrants while local people remained without jobs.

“There are many new matriculants and students looking for learnership opportunities, but they are not getting them,” he said.

Maremane criticised the City of Ekurhuleni, saying previous law enforcement operations had had little impact. He referred to an operation led by Ekurhuleni mayor Nkosindiphile Xhakaza, during which businesses — including a fast food outlet and a hardware store were closed for alleged non-compliance.

“They were operating the following day again. How does that happen?” he asked.

He said residents would continue marching until shops they believed were operating illegally were shut down.

Duduzile Fortune Khumalo, chairperson of the sector crime forum and a community leader in Phomolong, said local young people were paying the price for unemployment.

“Our children are unemployed. They sit on street corners and end up smoking drugs or getting involved in crime because they don’t have jobs,” she said.

Khumalo said she believed employment opportunities would become available for South Africans if undocumented immigrants no longer occupied those positions.

Among the protesters was local spaza shop owner Dineo Mollo, who said she wanted businesses operating illegally to be closed.

“I own a spaza shop myself, but business is slow because another shop owned by a Pakistani national opened opposite mine,” she said.

She said she had considered shutting down her business after receiving threats from people who claimed to be protecting foreign-owned shops.

“I think they threatened me because I refused to pay a protection fee,” she said.

Also joining the march was the founder of Xolani Khumalo Foundation and ActionSA Ekurhuleni mayoral candidate Xolani Khumalo, who urged the government to respond to residents’ concerns, saying communities had done their part by protesting peacefully.

Khumalo said the demonstrations were not about destroying property but about calling for government action.

He said he wanted South Africans to have greater access to business opportunities and jobs.

“What we want is to see South Africa become a better place. We need to explore opportunities to localise our economy because townships have money that should benefit local people.”

The march formed part of growing demonstrations in Thembisa, where residents have repeatedly called on the government to strengthen illegal immigration enforcement and crack down on businesses they believe are operating outside the law.

Police monitored the protest which ended without any major incidents.

TimesLIVE