By Joshua Matthew in South Africa.
The police has given permission to South African demonstrators to march some streets, but has cautioned motorists to avoid the designated routes.
Some South Africans and groups have called for demonstrations Friday to protest against Nigerians and other immigrants who are taking away jobs meant for them, and criminalising their neighbourhoods through drug-related activities.
A community notice available to everyday.ng told residents of the areas: “The Concerned Residents March in the Pretoria CBD has been given the go ahead by the Tshwane Metro Police Department
“The following roads will be affected from 11am until 15:30 (Expected number of participants +- 1000)
“From the Old Putco bus depot they will proceed east on Struben street, turn right in Thabo Sehume street, right again in Johannes Ramokhoase Street (stopping at the Department of Home Affairs building)
“Motorist are urged to avoid this area or use alternative routes.”
In a related development, the Laudium council has admitted that rumours of xenophobic attacks in the area and Erasmia is creating unnecessary panic.
But the Erasmia Station Commander Col Makhumisane has advised residents to “be vigilant but the police are not expecting any of the violence to spill over into Erasmia, however there will be extra patrols and visible policing to ensure public safety.”
Councillor Essop and Laudium Police have said the same for Laudium, residents were told.
According to wikipedia, Laudium was named after Claudius Marais de Vries who owned a farm called Mooiplats and was a former mayor of Pretoria.
“Laudium was created by the Apartheid government as part of their policy aimed at moving ethnic groups out of Marabastad and central Pretoria, which were zoned as ‘White Areas’ following the passage if the Group Areas Act. Laudium was proclaimed an Indian township in 1961. As for its former inhabitants, older aerial photographs still show remains of circular type dwellings to the west of Laudium.
“The eastern portion of the original Claudius retained its name and white population for a time, but the white population of Claudius has long since been displaced by Indians (it was eventually also declared an Indian area by the Apartheid government, to reduce housing shortages in Laudium), and Claudius had effectively become an extension of Laudium by 1980.”
