As the election nears, I’m being invited to many events being organised in different parts of the ward to allow voters to meet candidates and raise issues. I will attend all that I can – and I hope that will bring me to a community venue near you.

Join me:

Wednesday 20th May, 7.45, for a Q&A at the Incorporated Law Society (formerly Blue Coats School), Blackhall Place, Dublin 7

or

Thursday 21st May, 7.30, for an event in the East Wall at the new Sean O’Casey Community Centre

METRO ÉIREANN

An independent candidate in the upcoming local elections was forced to withdraw from canvassing last week following a threat to his life.

Following the incident, Patrick Maphoso said that no amount of racist attack or intimidation would stop him from moving forward with his bid for a seat in Dublin City Council.

» Read more in Metro Éireann

Michelle O’Keeffe, Irish Daily Mirror

A SOUTH African-born independent politician was threatened with death by a gang of racist thugs.

Patrick Maphoso was canvassing for the local government elections when he was confronted by a mob who demanded he get out of the area.

One bigot roared: “Get off this road or we will put a bullet in your head.” Mr Maphoso, 40, said he was forced to stop his doorstep campaigning on the North Circular Road in Dublin but insisted he will not be scared off by racists.

He added: “I will certainly not be beaten by fascists. I have to go on for the people living in the inner city.

“When something like that happens it just shows how much immigrants in Ireland need a representative.

“The encounter I had with those two men just made me more determined to run for the local government election.

“People like them have to realise the world is changing and it is time for people to adjust to that.” Gardai have launched and investigation into the disgusting incident and asked anyone with information to contact them at the Bridewell station.
Mr Maphoso has also reported his ordeal to the new Minister of State for Integration John Power.

Chair of the Intercultural Work Group of Dublin North West Inner City Network, Ken McCue, said: “A rac-ist incident like this on our neighbourhood is an affront to the pluralist and intercultural society that we have been proud to develop in this part of the city.

“How sickening that this election candidate who came out of an anti-apartheid struggle is racially abused on our streets.
“This is a naked manifestation of fascism which has to be stamped out immediately.

“I call on Mr Power to take action to stop this behaviour and arrange for protection for all candidates.” A former ANC activist, Mr Maphoso – who is standing in the Dublin North Inner City on June 5 – moved to Ire-land with his wife Emily eight years ago.

And for the last seven years he has been fighting for the rights of immigrants here.

The dad-of-four said his prospective constituency has a population of 60,000 and about 60 per cent of whom are immigrants. He added: “I will win.”

DAILY MIRROR EDITORIAL

Racism is a stain on our good name

WHOEVER claimed Dublin is the friendliest city in Europe must have been in and out faster than a budget airline turnaround.

City election candidate Patrick Maphoso could have given them a different picture of his adopted home-land.

He was not only verbally abused over the colour of his skin, he received a death threat, with racist scum telling him they would “put a bullet in your head”.

The fact is that dubious travel surveys – or restaurant guides for that matter – rarely look beyond the obvious.

To brand a city the friendliest in Europe is usually a bold and inaccurate statement.

One only has to examine figures or case studies from equality or multicultural organisations to realise racism is alive, well and thriving in Ireland.

Since the arrival of immigrants and asylum seekers from Africa and Eastern Europe, many Irish people have disgraced our long-held reputation as a welcoming country.

Asylum seekers’ cases have not been helped by cheats such as Pamela Izevbekhai. But long before she was exposed, plenty of vitriol from hate merchants was directed at new residents.

And it is not the “few bad apples” – the problem is more widespread than that.

The racists behind these disgusting attacks were probably never taught values of tolerance, acceptance or equality. We are all shamed.

IRISH TIMES

“…While the great majority of the candidates reported being well received on the doorsteps, Patrick Maphoso, an Independent running in Dublin city, sounded a different note. He said he was racially abused by two middle-aged men near the North Circular Road on Tuesday night and reported the incident to gardaí.

“Two guys asked me to leave the area and they told me how much they hate blacks . . . I had to leave for the safety of my team and myself,” Mr Maphoso said.

» Read the full Irish Times article

by Celina Murphy, Hot Press

With non-Irish nationals making up almost 12% of the country’s population, The Africa Centre and New Community Partnership are on a quest to make the immigrant voice heard in the upcoming local elections.

Setting out to represent the immigrant community in Dublin, South African native Patrick Maphoso faces a much tougher task than your average political candidate. He has to ‘recruit’ his target electorate before he can even start campaigning.

Although they may not all be aware of it, immigrants are permitted to vote in local and European elections, provided they have been living in the country for at least six months by May 18. But unlike Irish nationals, they must go to their local Garda station and get registration forms stamped by a Garda authority – a bigger issue than it might at first seem. Maphoso explains: “Most people aren’t going to go to the Garda station – they have a fear of interrogation or that there might be a problem with their passport and people don’t need that. Some are afraid of deportation.”

For the past month, the independent candidate has been organising voter registration days around the city, in co-operation with The Africa Centre, the objective being to allow potential voters to collect their forms and have them validated by an official, all in the space of a few minutes. But even this part of the process is proving remarkably difficult to orchestrate.

“The last time we tried to get the Guards out here – two weeks ago – to stamp the forms, they didn’t show up,” Maphoso says. “The Africa Centre and the New Community Partnership made a formal request. They never came.”

Despite his dedication to the cause, Maphoso – who works as a security manager – is quick to point out that getting immigrants to register is not part of his job description.

“But I haven’t seen or heard anything from the Council asking people to register to vote,” he observes. “It shouldn’t be left up to people like myself who don’t really have the resources for it.”

THE OBSERVER

Migrant workers hit hardest by economic slump

“…One man who works with some of the people queueing is Patrick Maphoso, who left his native South Africa eight years ago to settle in Ireland…”

» Read The Observer article

I have always fought hard for working people, both in my homeland of South Africa and in my adopted home of Dublin. I’m now seeking your vote to help make change on the City Council.

The North Inner City area is full of hard-working people – immigrant and Irish alike – many of whom are going through tough times. Now, more than ever, they need a strong, independent fighter in their corner.

Check out my new voter guides:

Register to Vote

When and How to Vote – Frequently Asked Questions

You can also view a map of Dublin North Inner City ward, the area I’m contesting.

Politics in Ireland needs new voices and new perspectives.

That’s why I’m putting myself forward as your candidate. I want to give particular voice to immigrants in our community and stand strong against growing racism.

If you’ve already browsed my site, then following my regular Blogs will bring you plenty more information about my campaign. And please feel free to put forward your questions and suggestions in my feedback section.

Get informed, get involved, use your vote.

Thankyou for your time.

THE AFRICAN VOICE, March 2009

A popular African entrepreneur in Moore Street Mall is planning to run in the Irish local elections. Toms Emka Ugwu interviews Patrick Maphoso.

Can you give us a little profile about yourself?

I am a South African, residing here in Dublin and will contest as an independent candidate for the Dublin North inner city constituency come June 2009. Since my arrival in Ireland, I have actively participated in several immigrant issues. Immigrants in this country are under-represented, their voices are not heard, there are racial attacks and the authorities that are supposed to protect these immigrants seem to be doing nothing to help.

Why are you standing as an Independent?

Many people may disagree with me, but I personally consider any immigrant candidate running under a political party as a stooge. I was approached by few parties, but I vehemently rejected the idea of joining any party where group views will be contrary to my personal views, especially in critical issues affecting immigrants. These parties have their party manifestos regarding immigration issues and there’s no way a contestant under the party banner can go contrary to the laid down party rules. Some of the immigrant contestants will prefer to die in silence than voice their opinion in public. I detest any situation where my conscience will be mortgaged simply to be a good party loyalist.

It seems your main concern is immigrant voters. Have you forgotten that an immigrant was elected in Portlaoise by Irish voters?

Please get me clear, I have Irish friends, business associates and supporters, but that shouldn’t derail my determination to fight for the immigrant cause in my political career. Many racially biased Irish will be afraid to face the realities of seeing a multi-cultural Ireland. Most of these racially inclined Irish will hate to vote for an immigrant, especially an outspoken candidate like myself. Take the issue of the undocumented Irish in America. The government here has been lobbying to get them status. In contrast to this is the total abandonment of immigrants in Ireland to remain perpetually illegal and undocumented. How then can anyone convince me that the integration policies of the State are going in the right direction? EU immigration treaties provide for the unification of family members of immigrants who are legally residing in another member state. In contrast, Ireland is turning a deaf ear to the plight of thousands of non-EU immigrants’ family members who have been abandoned for years. As they don’t have anybody to speak for them, so it seems they don’t deserve any help after all.

What is your message to voters and what are your prospects for the election?

I am asking everyone to come out and vote for me for a change. I am going to win because I have all it takes to win it.

A longer version of this interview appeared in the March 2009 issue of The African Voice newspaper.