23 November 2009, 20:55
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By Luvuyo Mjekula

A group of De Doorns protesters vented their anger on refugee activist Braam Hanekom on Monday, threatening to beat him up because he was "spying for the Zimbabweans".

Hanekom, the leader of People against Suffering, Suppression, Oppression and Poverty (Passop) who is considered an active protector of the rights of refugees, had made an appearance at a march by De Doorns residents to call for the release of 23 residents of Stofland informal settlement arrested and charged with demolishing Zimbabwean refugees' shacks. Hanekom had been in De Doorns since the outbreak of violence on Tuesday last week.

The protesters first denounced Hanekom as a labour broker. Then a man carrying a broom started questioning him about his presence at the march.

He told Hanekom to "f*** off and go to Zimbabwe or I will beat you up". Although a little shaken, Hanekom retaliated and asked the other men who had joined in the threats: "Did this coloured man (with broom) tell you to do this?"
• luvuyo.mjekula@inl.co.za[aneez.salie]
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