Somali refugees march to Parliament against xenophobia

Athenkosi Mvane

07 June 2013

Today the Somali Community held a protest match to Parliament in response to the xenophobic violence against refugees throughout the country. 

The whole country has been outraged by the recent lootings of Somali and other foreign national’s shops in Gauteng and Port Eliazabeth, and the murder of a Somalian trader who was stoned to death in Limpopo. 

One woman said that Somali Nationals are hard working refugees that do not expect a grant from the country; they would like to have peace.

Another said he what he had seen on television, a Somali being stoned to death, was not amusing; so they want the South African Government to support their people.

“We need protection; our people are killed everyday, they are looted.

“Even last night, we heard that two Somali men were killed in Cape Town” another woman said.

Another man said that South Africans should accept the integration of other African people, and added that they wanted peace, freedom and the right to life.