South African police use force to disperse anti-

immigration protesters

Nelson Mandela Foundation accuses authorities of giving permission for march of hatred

after demonstrations in Pretoria

South African riot police fire rubber bullets during clashes between South African and foreign national protesters on Friday.
Photograph: Phill Magakoe/AFP/Getty Images

Associated Press in Pretoria

Friday 24 February 2017 10.27 EST

South African police have used stun grenades, rubber bullets and water cannon to try to

disperse anti-immigration protesters in the capital, Pretoria, and keep them from foreign

nationals who had gathered to express alarm about recent attacks.

A police official said 136 people had been arrested in the past 24 hours.

Resentment against foreign nationals has sometimes turned deadly amid accusations that

they take jobs from locals in a country where unemployment is more than 25%. Others are


Not the first time it's happened

blamed for drug-dealing and other crimes.

In 2015, anti-immigrant riots in and around the city of Durban left at least six people dead.

About 60 people were killed in similar violence seven years earlier.

On Friday protesters in Pretoria marched towards the foreign ministry, some carrying sticks or

pipes. A petition was handed to the ministry in which they suggested the government teach

immigrants to speak properly. The petition added: They are arrogant and they dont know

how to talk to people, especially Nigerians,.

The Nelson Mandela Foundation criticised authorities for giving permission for a march of

hatred.

We dont have hate! We dont have hate! one foreign national was recorded as shouting in a

video posted by local broadcaster eNCA.

South Africans wave anti-immigration placards during a protest in

Pretoria. Photograph: Yeshiel Panchia/AP

A statement issued by President Jacob Zumas office said South Africans should not blame all

crime on foreign nationals. It cited recent reports of violence in Pretoria and hate speech on

social media.

Many citizens of other countries living in South Africa are law abiding and contribute to the

economy of the country positively, Zuma said. It is wrong to brandish all non-nationals as

drug dealers or human traffickers.

Amnesty International accused the authorities of failing to address toxic populist rhetoric

that blames and scapegoats refugees and migrants.

Zuma said South Africans were not xenophobic, and he called on everyone, citizens and non-

citizens, to work together to combat the high crime rate.

The periodic backlash against foreign nationals has hurt the tolerant image the country has

tried to present since the end of apartheid almost a quarter of a century ago.

Police say that more than 130 people have been arrested in the

past 24 hours. Photograph: Kim Ludbrook/EPA

Despite high unemployment, South Africa is one of Africas largest economies and remains a

draw for people across the continent. Businesses run by Somalis, Ethiopians and others are

often targeted in anti-foreigner protests.

Amid the anti-immigrant sentiment, government data shows the number of foreign-born

people in South Africa has declined. A report (pdf) last year said the number of foreign-born

people fell from 2.2 million in 2011 to 1.6m. South Africa has a population of more than 55

million.

Zumas statement on Friday acknowledged complaints about companies that hire what it

described as illegal immigrants, saying the foreign office would crack down on all employers

who continue with this practice, which is dangerous as it pits locals against non-nationals.

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South Africa

Africa/Migration/Race issues/news

South Africa has dealt with a ton of violence over the past few years. On Friday while
protesting South African police where shooting at the immigrants and up to 136 immigrants were
arrested. It's not the first time however as there's been similar protests like this we're people were
getting killed not once ,not twice, but three times something like this has happened. There's been a
lot of controversy and conflict about the immigrants in South Africa.

One of the reasons why South Africa has dealt with a lot of violence is because people are
having problems with anti immigrants. There's been people all over South Africa who have had their
jobs taken away due to people who are not locals take their job. In South Africa the unemployment
is past a whopping 25% , a lot higher than the United States was in during the Great Depression
ERA. This is not the only time a protest like this has happened as it's happened twice before, but
nothing serious like this. Also in 2011 the population of foreign born people fell by more than half of
a million at a .6 million decrease. Despite all the protests and chaos, South Africa has one of the
largest and most successful economies. Also there's been a lot of xenophobic attacks going on in
the region of South Africa. While South Africa continues to have one of the largest and most
successful economies in the world, it has one of the highest unemployment rates if not the highest
unemployment rate in all over the world and there's been protests of anti- immigrants twice before
which is showing much chaos has been going on in this country and also with local people jobs
being taken away by anti-immigrants which is why all these protests like this one have been
happening in South Africa over the years.

1) What has caused the unemployment be more than it was when the u.s has the GD era?

2) Why have the local people in South Africa have trouble dealing with the anti-immigrants?

3) Why are people going after the president of South Africa?

4) Why have these protests occurred more than once in South Africa?