March and March vows weekly protests while rights groups say failed leadership is South Africa's real crisis.
Image: DOCTOR NGCOBO
As the March and March movement vows to take to the streets every Thursday over illegal immigration and related concerns, KwaZulu-Natal police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda said authorities must address the issues driving public frustration instead of allowing protests to become a weekly occurrence.
The comments came after March and March leader Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma said on June 30 that the organisation intended to stage weekly demonstrations until it saw meaningful action on immigration-related issues.
Netshiunda told Durban Network that the responsibility did not rest with the police alone but required a coordinated response from all government departments involved.
"We can't be having people marching every day," he said.
He said law enforcement agencies and government departments needed to work together whenever there are marches.
"Police, Home Affairs, the Metro and everyone else who is involved must come together and devise a plan so that we can arrest the situation," he said.
While acknowledging the concerns raised by communities, Netshiunda said the government had a responsibility to respond to legitimate grievances before they escalated into repeated demonstrations.
"We can't let it be as it is. We have seen the challenges and concerns, which are genuine, and we must act on them," he said.
However, a coalition including Lawyers for Human Rights and 14 other organisations argued that public anger should be directed at the country's deep-rooted socio-economic challenges rather than migrants.
"The struggle is not between South Africans and migrants. The struggle is against inequality, injustice and failed leadership," the organisations said.
They urged the public to hold those in positions of power accountable, saying South Africans should focus on the issues that continue to affect millions of people.
"We should be asking difficult questions of those entrusted with public power and leadership: Why do corruption and inequality persist? Why are millions of people still unemployed or struggling to access decent work?
"Why are communities still without adequate housing, healthcare, education and basic services? Why does gender-based violence continue at alarming levels? Why do crime and insecurity remain unresolved? Why have the promises of our democracy not been realised for so many?"
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