The Durban branch members of the anti-foreigner, anti-illegal immigration group, Operation Dudula, marched to Diakonia Centre, a refugee and asylum organisation, demanding that the centre stops assisting foreign nationals. Around lunch time on Thursday, 7 July, the Operation Dudula members embarked on a peaceful march, protesting outside Diakonia Centre before handing over a memorandum of understanding.
Fortunately, the centre was well prepared for the marchers and peacefully accepted the memorandum which listed a number of demands including a call to respect the laws and regulations of South Africa. SAPS members and the media were also on the scene to witness the hand-over, and the SAPS made sure the march did not end in a volatile manner and remained peaceful.
Operation Dudula demanded that the centre puts an end to the harbouring of non-citizens in the Diakonia premises; cease manipulating authorities of funding churches, as it has become an entry point to the country, and lastly for Diakonia to distance itself from being a recruitment agency for companies hiring non-citizens.
As a first response to the memorandum, Diakonia invited members of Operation Dudula to meet with them to discuss some of the issues raised in the memorandum. Both parties welcomed this intervention and agreed to set up a meeting in due course.
Reverend Ian Booth, Interim Coordinator at Diakonia Council of Churches, referenced Leviticus 19, verses 33 and 34. “This well-known Bible passage could be paraphrased for modern South Africans to say: ‘When a foreigner from an African country lives with you in your land, do not ill-treat him or her. The African foreigner living with you must be treated as one of your native-born. Love him or her as yourself, for you were foreigners in Africa during apartheid. I am the Lord your God’,” said Rev Booth.
Reverend Musa Zondi, Chairperson of Diakonia Council of Churches, said: “We do recognise that the Constitution confers the rights to freedom of speech and the right to assemble, demonstrate, picket and petition, and as social justice organisations we would not want to deny that right to any in our country. Operation Dudula are exercising that right and have done so lawfully.”
Rev Zondi said that the stance of Diakonia Council of Churches and that of the tenant organisations is clear. “We are about social justice for all, and will continue to provide services to all who require them. We are cognisant of the fact that some foreigners have gained entry into our country illegally, which is an issue for the government to address.
“When a person presents themselves to any of the organisations in the Diakonia Centre they will continue to be treated with dignity and grace, and provided protection from forces that wish to harm or destroy – just as the protection that was provided to those who presented themselves at the centre during the apartheid era, when the then government sought to harm or destroy them,” said Rev Zondi.
He concluded by saying: “At Diakonia, we welcome whoever comes through our gates, needing our help.”
