Protests 'must not fuel violence against foreigners'

South Africans must not take advantage of ongoing anti-illegal immigrants protests to abuse foreign nationals.

- Masoka Dube

This is a call by Africa Diaspora Forum following an anti-illegal immigrants protest in Durban yesterday.

Several members of the March in March Movement handed over a memorandum to the premier's office, demanding the deportation of the "rampant" undocumented foreign nationals.

Africa Diaspora Forum chair Amir Sheikh said they were not against the demonstration, but pleaded with the organisers to make sure that the protests do not send a wrong message to the public and instigate violence against the immigrants.

"We support the march because the citizens are exercising their democratic rights. And there is nothing wrong when they want to address issues of illegal immigrants," he said.