Africa-Press – South-Africa. The largest labor unions in South Africa have urged workers not to participate in the anti-migrant protests sweeping the country, warning that they may face severe consequences if they miss work to attend.
South Africa is experiencing heightened tensions ahead of the final deadline on June 30, set by anti-migrant groups for all undocumented foreigners to leave the country. Protests and potential civil unrest are expected following weeks of xenophobic attacks that have sometimes turned violent.
Four major unions, including the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU), which represents about two million people, issued a statement saying that workers would not be protected if they did not go to work on June 30.
The unions stated, “We urge workers to attend work and not jeopardize their jobs.” They supported President Cyril Ramaphosa’s call on Tuesday not to blame migrants for South Africa’s problems.
The labor unions (COSATU, FEDUSA, SAFTU, NACTU) said, “Removing foreigners from workplaces, communities, and public spaces will not reopen factories, fix municipalities, enhance public healthcare, or provide sustainable jobs.”
Africa’s largest economy has more job opportunities than many other African countries and has long attracted large numbers of foreign workers. Some politicians have exploited this issue in recent months to blame these migrants for the rise in poverty and crime.
South African media reported on Wednesday that clashes erupted between police and thousands of Malawians waiting to return to their home country in the coastal city of Durban. Police fired stun grenades and tear gas after a crowd became unruly, according to News 24.
Malawi announced earlier this week that ten thousand of its citizens are facing hardship and hope to return from South Africa. While the country is working to organize buses for their repatriation, it has issued a public appeal for donations to assist in these efforts.
Malawi stated, “The government is determined to bring back every Malawian citizen who wishes to return from South Africa; however, the scale and urgency of the operation have created unprecedented financial, logistical, and humanitarian demands.” Other countries, including Ghana, Nigeria, and Mozambique, have also repatriated their citizens for safety reasons.
