While global leaders are gathering at Sandton in Johannesburg for the ongoing BRICS Summit, some 500 kilometres away in Durban, two groups are flexing their muscles over the global formation of some of the largest economies in the world.
One group was against having the BRICS Summit, calling it a "club of the corrupt", while the other group said the formation is needed and South Africa is already reaping benefits by being part of it.
The anti-BRICS marchers were gathered under the banner of the South Durban Community Environmental Alliance, led by Desmond D'sa.
WATCH: The impromptu pro-BRICS march in front of the Indian consulate in central Durban. The marchers are chanting "we want BRICS." @IOL pic.twitter.com/8xB9M6M9fQ
— Sihle Mavuso (@ZANewsFlash) August 23, 2023
Their march started near the Durban ICC and moved to the Indian Consulate at Kingsmead via Masabalala Yengwa Avenue (MNR) on Wednesday morning.
WATCH: A group of pro-Khashmir independence protestors were also part of the anti-BRICS protest march to the Indian consulate in Durban today. They said the presence of Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi in South Africa is not welcomed. #BRICSSummit2023 @IOL pic.twitter.com/wtsb0R1a0c
— Sihle Mavuso (@ZANewsFlash) August 23, 2023
They were to deliver their memorandum to the consulate, but when they were a few metres away, they were stopped by the police, and a heated verbal confrontation ensued between D'sa and the top brass of the police.
That was after they were told that they couldn’t move past the Standard Bank regional head office gates, as no one was available to take their memorandum into the heavily fortified Indian Consulate.
Among the marchers were exiled Indian nationals who were pro-Kashmir independence and accused the Indian government of genocide and suppression in the territory India has been fighting over with Pakistan since 1947.
They called for Narendra Modi, the Indian Prime Minister who is attending the BRICS Summit, to be arrested, as they claim that the alleged genocide and suppression are happening under his watch.
"We are here to protest, we are here to reject the presence, and we are here to say that the presence of Prime Minister Modi is not welcomed in the land of human rights champions like Nelson Mandela, Sol Plaatje, Ahmed Kathrada, and Oliver Tambo.
NEWS: Jindal, an Indian mining company which is attempting to mine iron ore in Melmoth in northern KwaZulu-Natal is also getting a flak at the ongoing anti-BRICS march in Durban. The protestors are chanting slogans saying "Voetsek Jindal Voetsek, Go away Jindal go away." @IOL pic.twitter.com/fJArDehtlM
— Sihle Mavuso (@ZANewsFlash) August 23, 2023
"This land is a champion of human rights," said Saliman Khan, founder and chairman of the South Africa-Khashmir Action Group.
In the same group were protesters carrying pro-Ukrainian banners and flags. Some of the messages on the banners included a demand for Russia to return Ukrainian children taken during the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.
The war started in February 2022, and Ukraine is being supported with arms and finances by most Western countries that are members of Nato.
Also taking flak during the anti-BRICS march was Jindal, an Indian mining company that is attempting to mine iron ore in Melmoth in northern KwaZulu-Natal.
The protesters were chanting slogans saying "Voetsek Jindal Voetsek, Go away Jindal, Go away" and were told they were not welcomed in the area as their presence would wreak havoc.
Jindal previously told IOL that it has followed all protocols required for it to start the mine and has a clear plan to resettle the families to be moved.
There were also banners about the silencing of journalists and the use of fossil fuels in Africa.
After the anti-BRICS protesters were blocked from proceeding further, a pro-BRICS group emerged from the grounds in front of the consulate, chanting, "We want BRICS."
Among them was a popular KwaZulu-Natal philanthropist and adopted Zulu Prince, Ishwar Ramlutchman, who is also known as Prince Mabheka Zulu.
Ramlutchman, who is the founder of the Sivananda World Peace Foundation, said BRICS is a much-needed global formation.
"The initiative of BRICS, especially the partnership between our government and various other countries, is so important because I have personally seen the good friendship that was fostered between His Majesty King Goodwill KaBhekuzulu and Narendra Modi, the Prime Minister of India, sending implements and tractors to Nongoma six years ago.
"In these partnerships like BRICS, rural communities benefit a lot, and we people on the ground are touched by this," he said.
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