In response to the issue of illegal immigration, prominent campaigner Jacinta Ngobese Zuma has asked President Cyril Ramaphosa to declare a state of emergency. The increasing crime rate associated with unauthorized immigrants is something she wants him to address by invoking Section 37 of the Constitution. This firm demand follows the tragic mass shooting at the KwaNoxolo pub in Bekkersdal, west of Johannesburg.
Twelve masked men barged in early on Sunday. They opened fire on customers, wounding ten and killed nine. As the assailants sped away in a silver sedan and a white minibus, they shot at random people in the streets. A large-scale manhunt has been initiated by the police, but as far, no arrests have been made. Who or what is behind it is a mystery. The zama-zama operations, or illicit mining in the region, have reportedly sparked gang battles.
Jacinta Ngobese Zuma is calling on President Cyril Ramaphosa to declare a state of emergency on illegal immigration under section 37 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996 (Act No. 108 of 1996), amid public safety concerns.
In the Bekkersdal tavern mass… pic.twitter.com/YcZ1LSCd9m
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Violent conflicts frequently break out between rival parties in Bekkersdal over the area’s ancient gold mines. Some residents hold Basotho natives responsible for gang activity and point the finger at undocumented immigrants, particularly those from Lesotho. According to one local, gunshots are now “normal” at night, and the fear of gunfire is nonexistent among children. The cops, he claimed, would occasionally receive bribes and then let the bad guys go free. Ngobese Zuma, a prominent figure in the anti-illegal immigration March and March organization and the daughter of former president Jacob Zuma, took to social media to make her plea. In order to save South Africans, she emphasized, the government must do swiftly.
For a long time, her group has been vocal about the fact that undocumented people are to blame for crimes like building hijackings and poisoned spaza shops. While immigration is a factor in some tavern shootings, authorities and experts agree that gang rivalries, illegal firearms, and organized crime play a larger role. In South Africa, townships are notoriously violent, and there is an abundance of illegal firearms. There is a lot of fear and sadness in the community. Fearing for her life, says the tavern owner. There will be increased police help, according to Gauteng politicians, but the people demand actual change. After a shooting near Pretoria killed 12, this tragedy marks the second major tavern shooting this month. How many more lives have to be lost before things improve, the people of South Africa are wondering.
