On the dusty streets of this tight-knit Ekurhuleni community, a quiet tension is simmering just beneath the surface. The growing presence of foreign nationals—many from Zimbabwe, Malawi, and Nigeria—has split Dunnottar residents into two increasingly vocal camps, each convinced their view is the only path forward for the struggling township.
On one side stand those who have had enough. At a recent community imbizo held at the local community hall, angry voices demanded immediate action against undocumented migrants. “Our children sit at home without jobs while spaza shops and hair salons are run by foreigners who pay no tax,” charged one resident, drawing loud applause. Others complained of overcrowded shacks, strained clinic services, and a perceived rise in petty crime. A small but vocal faction has even called for community-led patrols to “flush out” those without proper papers, a prospect that local ward councillors have urgently discouraged.
But across the railway line, a different sentiment prevails. Elderly resident Martha Dlamini, who has lived in Dunnottar for four decades, shook her head at the growing hostility. “We are all Africans. Before borders were drawn, our people moved freely. These foreign nationals are not our enemies—they run the tuck shop that gives my grandchild bread on credit when I have no money. If we chase them away, we hurt ourselves.” Others echoed her concerns, warning that xenophobic violence, which has scarred other parts of Gauteng in years past, would destroy the community’s moral fabric and drive away the very small businesses keeping the local economy alive.
Community policing forum chairperson Thabo Mokoena called for calm, urging residents to report undocumented individuals through proper channels rather than taking the law into their own hands. “We cannot fight fire with fire,” he said. Meanwhile, the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality has promised to conduct verification exercises, but residents remain divided: some see it as too little, too late; others see it as a dangerous first step toward mass evictions. For now, Dunnottar waits—uneasy, suspicious, and hopelessly split.
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