ANC CALLS FOR URGENT STEPS TO RESTORE NORMALITY IN JOHANNESBURG

The African National Congress (ANC) condemns the latest flare-up of violence and lawlessness around Jeppestown and #JoburgCBD.

Once again we urge our law-enforcemnent agencies to find a permanent solution to these sporadic incidents and ensure that stability and normality are restored.

We call on the police to be firm and uncompromising in dealing with criminals who, among other things, deal in drug and human trafficking, regardless of their nationalities or place of origin.

We urge relevant authorities to enforce by-laws and deal decisively against those who trade in counterfeit goods and conduct businesses illegally. The police must act harshly against these crimes, whether committed by South Africans or foreign nationals.

We welcome all foreigners who come to the country legally and who respect our laws.

Our law-abiding citizens are understandably sick and tired of those who are breaking the moral fibre of our society by turning our kids into prostitutes and drug addicts. We urge all South Africans to give the police space to do their work and to refrain from taking the law into their hands. The ANC fought for peace and security for all and we must never allow criminals or opportunists alike to undermine our collective efforts to ensure peace and stability.

Those who are involved in crimes, including attacks on our law-enforcement officers must have no place to hide. The police must continue to enforce the law without fear or favour. We reject insinuations that our police or government is xenophobic when they come hard against these crimes.

We call for the intensification of programmes such as #OkaeMolao championed by the ANC-led provincial government in Gauteng to root out criminal elements from our communities. At the same breadth we welcome the work done by the Gauteng provincial Disaster Management Centre to provide humanitarian relief to communities affected by the violent unrests as this demonstrates that our government continues to care for the welfare of all people in the Republic.

We urge the ANC government to continue strengthening the country's ports of entry and immigration laws, and to act firmly against illegal immigration.

The ANC continues to condemn acts of xenophobia wherever these may rear their ugly heads.

Statement issued by Pule Mabe, ANC national spokesperson, 8 September 2019