Photo: Ahead of anti-foreigner match today, Nigeria High Commission in South Africa advises citizens to halt business activities

Ahead of the planned anti-foreigner march expected to take place today Friday Feb. 24th, in South Africa, the Nigerian High Commission has advised its citizens to close down their businesses.

More than 1,000 Memelodi residents are expected to march through the CBD to the Home Affairs head office in a demonstration against foreigners.

The march follows attacks on foreign nationals in Pretoria West and other townships in the capital. For several weeks pamphlets have been circulated by these Mamelodi residents pointing out social ills and high unemployment rates that they attribute to illegal immigrants.

Makgoka Leganyane, spokesman for the Mamelodi Concerned Residents organisation, said they were protesting against drugs and prostitution. Earlier this week shops owned by mainly Somali and Pakistani nationals were looted in Atteridgeville, while houses and shops belonging to Nigerian nationals were set alight.

Meanwhile, The Institute for Justice and Reconciliation (IJR) has condemned the planned march and called upon authorities to remain vigilant, in order to prevent a repeat of xenophobic violence.

The institute further said the government should take the necessary steps to protect foreign nationals.