Vatsonga Machangani movement demands action against ethnic profiling

Members of the Vatsonga Machangani movement have called on the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) to intervene against what they describe as years of ethnic profiling, discrimination and harassment linked to their language and cultural identity.

Hundreds of community members gathered at Beyers Naudé Square in the Johannesburg CBD on Friday before marching to the SAHRC’s Gauteng offices in Braamfontein, where they handed over a memorandum outlining their concerns.

The newly formed movement says many Tsonga-speaking South Africans are regularly mistaken for foreign nationals because of their language, physical appearance and cultural ties to neighbouring Mozambique. Organisers argue that anti-illegal immigration campaigns have worsened the situation, leaving community members vulnerable to intimidation and abuse.

Vatsonga Machangani movement organiser, Nhlamulo Makhubela, says members of the community have endured years of discrimination, with incidents becoming more frequent during election periods when anti-immigrant rhetoric intensifies.

Makhubela says many South Africans struggle to distinguish between Tsonga-speaking communities in South Africa and those in neighbouring Mozambique, resulting in citizens being unfairly targeted and questioned about their nationality.

Community members who attended the march say the discrimination has affected their daily lives. Participants from Limpopo, Chiawelo and other areas claim they have increasingly forced to prove their citizenship amid growing hostility linked to campaigns against undocumented migration.

One participant, Trecia Shivuri, from Chiawelo, says she now carries her South African identity document wherever she goes because she fears being challenged about her nationality.

The movement says the peaceful march was intended to highlight the continued marginalisation of Tsonga-speaking South Africans and to encourage greater public understanding of the country’s cultural and linguistic diversity.

In its memorandum, the group called for stronger action against tribal discrimination, public awareness campaigns on citizens’ rights, and improved border management by the state rather than civilian-led immigration enforcement operations.

Organisers say they expect a response from the SAHRC within the timeframe outlined in the memorandum and will consider further action should their concerns are not addressed.

Written by: Lebohang Ndashe