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GroundUp reports that members of the Nelson Mandela Metro Community Forum in Gqeberha have vowed to stop Alurite, a metal and plastic recycling facility, from functioning because it employs immigrants.
On Tuesday last week, about forty people protested for the second time outside the company demanding that it should dismiss immigrants and employ South Africans. The previous protest was on 21 October. The protesters held a huge, professionally printed banner on which was written in capital letters: “#PutSouthAfricansFirst. Secure our borders now!!! South Africa is not a refugee camp. Jobs and business opportunities for South Africans first.” Protest leader Sibusiso Matyolo said: “We are saying that unemployment in the metro is very high. This company employs more foreigners than local South Africans. We are demanding that they should change the ratio of employment in favour of South Africans.” Matyolo went on to threaten: “We will continue protesting at the main gate of the company until our demands are met. We will call all unemployed residents of the metro to come and camp outside here. We are planning a major shut down to force the company to listen to our demands.” According to Matyolo, they returned to the site at 6pm to block workers from starting their night shift. He claimed police arrived and fired rubber bullets. Chris Mapingure of the Zimbabwe Migrants Support Network said the banner and the protest were dangerous and were “causing tensions in our peaceful communities”. He added: “We strongly condemn actions that place other people in danger of being attacked or assaulted. Most of our members have either work, business or asylum permits. The country’s laws allow companies to employ people with requisite qualifications and experience.”
- Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Joseph Chirume at GroundUp
Get other news reports at the SA Labour News home page