ANC Councillor, Naeem Patel and the Pakistani led Laudium CPF stand accused of sowing fear, inciting and falsely spreading news of an imminent threat against local residents, businesses, properties and even schools, apparently to gain support from locals to protect foreigners living in the area, who are believed to be Patel and the ANC’s supporters and financial backers.
This, as protests spread throughout the country against illegal foreigners in the country, led by the ‘March and March’ movement (MM) as tensions rise, with next Tuesday (June 30) set as a deadline date by MM for all illegal foreigners to leave the country. Many supporters of MM are also asking for government to investigate all foreigners who obtained South African citizenship after 1994, as Patel and the head of the Laudium CPF, Zahid-ul Zaman, who is also the chair of Pakistan South African Association, together with other Pakistanis openly pledged their support for the ANC in the forthcoming elections, which Patel plans to contest on behalf of the ANC. This as a large number of South Africans see the failure by the ANC led Government to secure the country’s borders and their failure to take action against corrupt border officials, as the main reason why there are believed to be millions of illegal foreigners in the country.
Laudium CPF instilled fear amongst residents of possible violence taking place, due to a supposedly protest march by ‘March & March,’ which turned out to be false as the march did not take place
FALSE POSTER NOTICE
Patel and the CPF are accused of posting a fake poster on social media platforms, purported to be from MM, concerning an MM gathering in the area, which was alleged to have taken place about 10 days back, but proved to be a ‘false alarm.’ However many residents told the Laudium Sun that the poster in ANC colours was an obvious fake, as it did not have all the colours and fonts used by MM on their posters, adding that they saw the posting of the fake poster as a political stunt, to instil fear among local residents so that the foreigners (from whom Patel gets massive moral and financial support) and locals could unite and mobilise against supporters of MM. This follows Patel & the Pakistani controlled Laudium CPF, together with a handful of so-called organizations aligned to Patel, holding a meeting on Tuesday (June 9) to protect the community against, “any violence arising from the xenophobic attacks currently being reported in parts of the country.” However the police were not part of the meeting. Surprisingly (perhaps not) two days after their meeting a poster in ANC colours suddenly surfaced allegedly sent out by ‘March and March’ about a gathering to take place at the doorstep of Laudium on June 12. Residents said that Patel was clearly risking the lives of local residents by involving them in matters which should be dealt by and led by the police, not by Patel.
Imraan Ahmed of the Concerned Community Forum (CCF) and former Ldm CPF Chairperson, told the Laudium Sun, “I am shocked that Cllr Patel met only with a selected group of people, including some Pakistanis, to discuss a serious public safety matter, without the police being present who should have been leading any concerns of violence in the area. I believe that if Patel really cared for the community, he would not have publicly announced the outcome of the meeting, as he has now involved the community by making us seem to be standing with illegal foreigners against the supporters of ‘March and March’ making it a ‘us and them’ situation. It seems to me that he is playing cheap but dangerous politics, to gain the support of the community, by sowing division, panic & fear. Naeem is well aware of the illegal foreigners living within our community, but because of the support he apparently gets from them he has not been vocal for years. The issue of possible xenophobic attacks is a national concern, we cannot address it on our own, without the support & guidance of the police from the specialized unit dealing with this problem.”
The Laudium Sun understands that Cllr Patel ‘influenced’ many local businesses and schools to close on Friday June 12, citing the fake poster, as a cause of concern.
*Below is the meeting feedback sent out by Cllr Patel, clearly indicating that he was instrumental in organising a community driven operation to ‘protect the community against ‘violence,’ without the police. Religious and other community driven organisations, including the Concerned Community Forum (CCF) were not invited to the meeting. Only those organisations seemingly aligned to Cllr Patel were invited.
Notice to Residents of Ward 61 and Surrounding Areas
A meeting of various community stakeholders was convened yesterday [June 9], to discuss proactive measures aimed at protecting our community in the event of any violence arising from the xenophobic attacks currently being reported in parts of the country. The meeting brought together representatives from a broad range of community organisations and structures, including: Business Forum, Gating Committee, Laudium and Erasmia CPF, Cllr Naeem Patel, Laudium Disaster Management, Ward 61 Residents Association, Ward Committee, India South Africa Association, Pakistan South Africa Association and CPF Youth Desk. During the meeting, each stakeholder group was requested to engage with their respective sectors and develop recommendations and action plans. These sector meetings will take place over the coming days, and feedback will be presented to the coordinating team by Saturday.
Once all reports have been received and consolidated, a comprehensive community safety plan will be communicated to residents. We encourage all residents to remain calm, vigilant, and united as we work together to safeguard Ward 61 and surrounding areas. Protecting Ward 61 and Surrounding Communities Through Unity, Preparedness, and Cooperation.” (Sent out by Cllr Patel)
Locals condemn ANC Cllr Patel for spreading fear on fake ‘March and March’ protest calls… Patel called to order or march out
Residents of Laudium are furious about a supposed ‘March and March’ protest which Councillor Naeem Patel, allegedly used to create fear and disturbance among the community. Patel had been continuously sharing posts on his Ward 61 social media platforms about a protest he claimed would be taking place on 12 June. However, the protest never occurred. Due to the fear created by Cllr Patel, many shops in the Laudium area were closed, and business owners and residents have expressed anger at Naeem Patel for spreading false information and making baseless remarks. A number of schools were also closed for the day.
Sajid Mohammed, a businessman on 13th Avenue, Laudium, told the Laudium Sun, “We received information about a protest allegedly organised by the ‘March and March’ movement through messages shared on Cllr Patel’s WhatsApp platform. The message clearly stated that there would be a protest on the 12th of June and even suggested that the protest could turn violent. Naturally, this created a sense of fear and uncertainty among us as business owners and residents. Based on that warning, many of us decided to close our businesses for the day to avoid any potential risk to our safety, our staff, and our property. What is most concerning, however, is that the protest never took place at all. Not a single sign of any march or gathering was seen in Laudium. This raises serious questions about how such information was shared so confidently without proper verification. As a Ward Councillor, one is expected to act responsibly and ensure that any information being communicated to the public is accurate and confirmed. Instead, it appears that this was speculation that was presented as fact, which led to unnecessary panic within the community. It is not a small matter to spread unverified information about a potentially violent protest, as it can easily create chaos and disrupt daily life. People depend on clear and truthful communication from their leaders, especially in situations that may affect public safety. Acting hastily and trying to appear proactive without confirming facts only damages trust within the community. Many shopkeepers and residents are unhappy about the way this situation was handled, and it has left a negative impression.”
Ebrahim Rasool, a resident of Mink Street, Laudium, told the Laudium Sun, “The message that was shared by Cllr Naeem Patel on his WhatsApp platform about possible violence on the 12th of June due to a protest by the ‘March and March’ movement created unnecessary panic within our community. Many residents, including myself, took the message seriously because it came from an official source and we believed that the information had been properly verified before being shared. It was a Friday, a very important day for us, but because of the warning that even the mosque would be closed, I ended up missing my Juma prayer. This is something that is very significant and it should not have happened based on information that turned out to be incorrect. There was widespread fear among residents and residents did not know what to expect. Many businesses also remained closed, which affected the livelihoods of shopkeepers and workers in the area. I understand that it is important for a Councillor to keep the community informed and alert us about potential risks. However, with that responsibility comes the duty to ensure that all information being shared is accurate and properly checked. Spreading unverified information can have serious consequences, as we have seen in this situation.”
Mohammad Rahaman a businessman from 4th Ave told the Laudium Sun, “Warnings about a supposed demonstration led to unnecessary panic and disruption amongst residents and businesses. There were messages posted on Cllr Patel’s WhatsApp platform indicating that a march organised by the ‘March and March’ movement would take place on 12 June, with suggestions that the situation could turn volatile. Taking the alert seriously, many shop owners decided to shut their doors for the day as a precautionary measure. The anticipation of possible unrest created anxiety across the area, with families choosing to stay indoors and avoid public spaces. However, as the day progressed, it became clear that no such gathering had been planned or occurred. There were no signs of any march, disruption, or unusual activity within Laudium. This unexpected outcome left many questioning the accuracy of the initial message and the process followed before sharing such information with the public. Responsible communication, particularly from individuals in positions of authority, like our Councillor is important. While keeping the public informed about potential risks is essential, it is equally important that such updates are verified before being distributed. Unconfirmed reports, especially those involving safety concerns, can quickly escalate into fear and confusion. The incident has prompted calls for greater accountability and more careful handling of information in the future.”