In the past few months, we have witnessed reprehensible incidents of violence against foreign nationals in some parts of South Africa, including Gauteng. Although in parts of the country the attacks on foreign nationals were dire, we are still grateful that in Gauteng the incidents were fewer. Since then, we have been working around the clock to restore peace and put an end to the violent attacks against our African brothers and sisters. We have worked with civil society and faith-based organisations, as well as formations representing migrants in the Province to ensure the attacks that engulfed our province in 2008 and in January this year are never repeated.
Lessons we can learnt from the recent spate of xenophobic attacks and looting is that we need a comprehensive set of interventions and a sustained programme to deal with all multifaceted underlying causes of xenophobia. It is not good enough to react to the outbreaks of violence and relax once the attacks stop.
As part of our long-term plan to ensure all our residents – South Africans and non-South Africans live together in harmony, the Gauteng City Region, in partnership with the civil society, including faith-based organisations, will on Sunday, 24 May 2015, hold a prayer meeting. We want to ensure that such shameful incidents such as the brutal attacks on fellow African brothers and sisters are never repeated – at least not in this province.
We reiterate our condemnation of these violent acts and any form of discrimination against our people. We once again call upon our people to continue to embrace all foreign nationals who call South Africa and Gauteng in particular, their home.
The interfaith prayer meeting, which comes on the eve of Africa Day, stems from Premier David Makhura’s commitment during his State of the Province Address in February this year where he declared:
“We will during the month of May, as part of Africa Day celebrations, organise dialogues with the foreign nationals from other parts of the continent and the rest of the world to discuss how we can live and work together and contribute to the growth and development of our province”.
The prayer meeting will afford people from all religious persuasions in the province – from both South Africa and other African countries - an opportunity to reflect and pray for an end to xenophobic attacks in the province.
Transport and logistics
Government has made available about 400 busses, trains as well as Rea Vaya Busses to ferry our people to and from the event. Details on various pickup points will be made available on the Gauteng Provincial Website www.gautengonline.gov.za from Friday, 22 May 2015.
We hope this assists in encouraging residents of Gauteng to participate in the event and thus demonstrate the province’s intolerance to xenophobic violence and promote social cohesion and sustainable peace and co-existence.
We are well prepared for thousands who will descend on the stadium on the day. The Johannesburg Stadium will be on standby in the event of over subscription at the Ellis Park Stadium. The City of Johannesburg Emergency and Disaster Management team have been deployed as well as the national, provincial and local government police personnel. Marshals will assist with ushering services at pickup points and at the stadium.
The programme will include cultural activities, including the ZCC Church Choir, Johannesburg Mass Choir, Gospel Music as well as Soul and African Jazz super stars like Yvonne Chakachaka and Judith Sephuma.
Africa month programme
This prayer service also happens during a period wherein the continent is celebrating an important milestone – Africa Day. The celebration of Africa Day is held on an annual basis where more than 53 African states celebrate the liberation of African continent from imperialism.
The AU was established on 26 May 2001 in Addis Ababa and launched on 9 July 2002 in South Africa; with the aim of replacing the Organisation of African Unity (OAU). These member states recognise how imperialism and slavery has affected their communities. The effects of slavery and oppression of African states brought degeneration and dehumanisation in many communities across Africa.
The Gauteng Government, as part of the South African effort, will hold the various activities that are aimed at celebrating Africa Month. The Africa Month events will also serve as social cohesion and community development initiatives.
Whilst most of the events have already happened, more are still to happen including the following activities:
1. On the 24th of May on Sunday, ahead of the Prayer Meeting, at the University of Pretoria, Mamelodi campus President Jacob Zuma will lead the country’s inaugural Africa Day celebrations in Mamelodi, Pretoria.
2. On the 25th, at the Mary Fitzgerald Square and Museum Africa and workers museum, there will be a bash jamboree / razzmatazz and African exhibitions of culture, art, recreation businesses; African folklore stories Building Unity in Africa for Africans by Africans.
3. Yeoville Recreation Centre will host a discussion on the Aftermath of Xenophobia Africa Diaspora Forum / Foundation for Human Rights.
4. Constitution Hill: Human Rights Conference Room there will be a Dialogue and Panel Discussion with African Embassies hosted by Constitution Hill, African Embassies, Department of Home Affairs and the South African United Foreigner Trade Union.
5. On the 28th at the Johannesburg City Hall, all NPOs, CBOs, FBOs, COOPERATIVES, SMMEs, Business Sector and the Moral Regeneration Movement will be hosted by both the Office of the Premier and the Office of the Mayor to deal with competition amongst the NPOs Support Service Delivery Programme such as energy, food resilience, green economy, local business revitalization, reindustrialization how to achieve this objectives, this will also be replicated in Tshwane at the City Hall.
6. Finally, on the 31st of May at the City of Ekurhuleni there will be a youth Seminar hosted by the Office of the Premier and the Office of the Executive Mayor.
For more information contact:
MEC Mayathula-Khoza’s Spokesperson Mr Mbangwa Xaba
Cell: 072 447 6582
E-mail: mbangwa.xaba@gauteng.gov.za
Premier’s spokesperson Nino Zama
Cell: 083 473 6725
E-mail: nino.zama@gauteng.gov.za
