Here’s a list I found from a facebook group:
- Speak with your local councillor, individually or in a group, and ensure that (s)he calls a ward meeting to condemn violence.
- Start conversations with family members, friends, neighbours, colleagues, fellow learners and students, etc. about xenophobia and violence and about taking a public stance against it.
- Call a meeting at your place of work and organise a discussion on the violence and on xenophobia.
- Join your community policing forum and ensure that the CPF acts to protect foreign nationals and anyone else being threatened or targeted in your area.
- Report any agitation or threats against foreign nationals or groups of South Africans to the police.
- Check with police stations, community centres and churches sheltering victims of violence on what material donations are needed, and donate blankets, food and clothes, as needed.
- Participate in any public forums you can access, including calling into talk radio shows, public meetings, writing letters to newspapers, etc.
- Check that your foreign friends/ colleagues/ neighbours/ cleaners/ gardeners and their families are safe, and, if necessary, offer them refuge in your house.
- If foreign nationals in your neighbourhood are likely to be targeted in their homes, organise a group of people to spend the night at their house so that a South African can open the door if someone knocks in the night asking about foreigners.
- Encourage any public figures you know, including artists, sports persons, business people, teachers, etc. to speak out publically against racism, xenophobia and violence.
- Do not let racist and xenophobic comments go unchallenged.
Mike and Stii are also asking what we can do, maybe this list can help.
I was also informed of a march taking place on Saturday:
I was informed about a march that will be taking place on Saturday:
Time and PlaceDate: Saturday, May 24, 2008
Time: 9:00am – 12:00pm
Location: Pieter Roos Park, cnr Empire and Queen, Parktown – north of Constitution Hill
Street: cnr Empire Rd and Queen Street, Parktown
City/Town: Johannesburg, South Africa
So get involved if you can.
Similar Posts:
- Proud feelings come from ashes
- Filmmakers Against Racism
- I am not embarrassed to be South African
- Headway doing admirable work
- Rapping about Xenophobia
Popularity: 5% [?]
May 22nd, 2008 at 8:34 am
Hey Nic,
Thanks so much for creating awareness and for the ideas. We have just launched a dedicated page on Afrigator covering Xenophobia in South Africa through aspects of social and traditional media. I just hope all this talk would help in some way or another. You can visit the page at http://afrigator.com/topics/xenophobia
Cheers man, and thanx!
May 22nd, 2008 at 8:41 am
Great work Stii. I saw the page yesterday. You’ve done a great job there and I am sure it’s going to prove to be beneficial in the long run. Keep it up!
May 22nd, 2008 at 9:59 am
Hi Nic,
I know a quite a few south africans wanting to help but feeling powerless. This list is a practical guide that I think nudges people toward taking a stand in a small yet important ways. Nice work
May 22nd, 2008 at 10:36 am
Nicely done Nic! This is exactly what you need to have ready when people start whining, or saying “we can’t do anything about it”. Well thought out & the actions you suggest will definitely make a difference – I like it!
May 22nd, 2008 at 11:53 am
You can donate to the red cross via sms. They are involved in helping victims of the violence. I know other organisations are involved too – this is just a particularly easy way to donate.
Details on http://www.humanitychain.org/
May 22nd, 2008 at 2:58 pm
Those bastards are no better than the perpetrators of Apartheid. You are no better than the animals that did this to our people during the dark days of Apartheid. You are no better than Craig Williamson. No better than Ferdi Barnard. You are Eugene de Kock.
You spit on our people who died at Sharpeville. You spit on the killing of the Guguleto 7. You spit on the deaths at the Bisho Massacre. You spit on the 27 years Madiba spent in jail for people like you. You spit on the murder of Biko. You spit on the memories of Braam Fischer. The memory of each and every South African who died and suffered for you to have freedom. Every mother. Every father. Every wife. Every husband. Every sisters. Every brother. Every child. You spit on their suffering.
No. You are not just as bad as those perpetrators of Apartheid. You are worse. Because you should know better. This has happened to you. How could you? How the hell could you? You stupid barbaric bastards. You are killing a dream. Our dream.
http://angryafrican.net/2008/05/20/terror-in-south-africa-and-the-end-of-a-dream/
May 22nd, 2008 at 3:00 pm
Yes, I have donated – it is an easy way.
But this list helpt to identify some physical things to help with. So far Cape Town is not sharing the experience – we continue to create the awareness.
May 22nd, 2008 at 11:00 pm
Nice
A lot of students from UJ are helping MES (www.mes.org.za) hand out food at some of the gathering points for people who were left homeless…
Contact MES if you’d like to help!
May 23rd, 2008 at 3:46 pm
Masiphumelele People for Peace
The Ubuntu Coalition is organising a Peace Rally tonight at the Masiphumelele Community Hall at 6pm. KEAG’s Yandiswa Mazwane, Harlequin Foundation boardmember and leader of the Sosebenza Youth Group has called on church leaders to mobilise the majority of Masiphumelele’s residents who abhor the violence that brings their peaceful community into disrepute.
The Ubuntu Coalition (eMzantsi Carnival project, Art of Living, OIL and other cross-cultural south peninsula NGOs) has come together to call on all concerned residents of the south peninsula to support this initiative by joining this Peace Force.
Now is not the time to sit by and watch this happen in our community:
bring candles and help us shine a light for peace.
The Masiphumelele Community Hall is situated opposite the Ukhanyo Primary School, past the clinic on the left of the main road into Masiphumelele off the Kommetjie Road. There is ample parking – and strength in numbers.
For more information, please contact Yandiswa Mazwane 083 559 8483 or Sam Pearce 021 789 1665.
NB. Pat Moatse, chairperson of the Ocean View/Masiphumelele/Kommetjie Community Police Forum, is coordinating the drive to feed the 70 people already displaced, as well as local police officers who are all going to have to work all weekend. Please call her on 079 588 2305 if you can donate cooked meals, blankets or other provisions. The Art of Living has joined local community women at the Sosebenza Centre to make soup and provide refuge for those in need. Contact Yandiswa Mazwane 083 559 8483 or Candi Horgan 082 561 2879 if you would like to contribute.
from the office of the eMzantsi Carnival project
Harlequin Foundation
creating a common culture through carnival
May 23rd, 2008 at 8:43 pm
Hi Nic
Thanks for taking a stand – we will promote the list to as many people and stop this madness
May 26th, 2008 at 1:51 pm
Nick, so great to see how much awareness u are promoting!
Keep it up!!!
May 26th, 2008 at 3:38 pm
Got Facebook?
Join the group ‘End Xenophobic Violence In South Africa’
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=13352359930
Get up to date information on events related to Xenophobic violence, information on how YOU can HELP and debate the many issues related to the last few weeks events.
May 27th, 2008 at 1:41 pm
Hi Nic
What a great platform – what i really want to know – and hoped you or your visitors could help with – is where goods are being collected? I’m in Cape Town and am looking to deliver goods in the southern suburbs area – any suggestions??
Thanks again
Sarah