Ruptly
"Hundreds of protesters marched through the streets of Johannesburg on Thursday to demand the mass deportation of undocumented migrants, citing a collapse in national security and mounting pressure on public services. Footage shows crowds dressed in traditional attire and carrying sticks, shouting as they moved through the city centre under heavy police escort. The demonstrators accused the government of failing to protect its borders and citizens, claiming a lack of leadership has forced them to defend their own interests. "What's basically happening is that we are trying to regain our country, our lost country," said one protester. "As far as we can tell, we don't have a president in South Africa. We are on our own. Hence we say people shall govern." The marchers raised specific grievances regarding urban decay, alleging that the influx of foreign nationals has led to increased pollution, drug trafficking, and the displacement of local shop owners. "We are not a charity case whereby we have to cater for everyone," another demonstrator added. "We all have our respective countries. Let's go fix our own countries. This is our country. This is our motherland." It follows President Cyril Ramaphosa's Freedom Day address on April 27, where he called for economic justice and land reform, while warning against rising xenophobia and urging respect for the rule of law. South Africa has long struggled with waves of anti-migrant sentiment, often fuelled by high unemployment rates and the perception that undocumented foreigners compete for limited jobs and government resources."
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