Calls for government accountability in South Africa's immigration crisis

Ahead of the June 30 deadline for illegal immigrants to leave South Africa, March and March leader, Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma has called on the government to shoulder the responsibility for migration crisis in the country.

Image: TUMI PAKKIES Independent Newspapers

As the June 30 deadline for illegal immigrants to leave South Africa intensifies, March and March leader, Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma, called on the South African government to shoulder the responsibility of illegal immigration, which she says has resulted in millions of illegal immigrants in the country.

Speaking during Wednesday's press briefing in Midrand on Wednesday, Ngobese-Zuma voiced her concerns about the unfair expectation that ordinary South Africans should bear the brunt of the immigration crisis.

She further stated that only the government, not her movement, should be held accountable if anything goes wrong on the day, as the government has allowed the crisis to remain unresolved.

"If anyone must shoulder responsibility for the planned June 30th protests, it’s the government. We cannot be expected to shoulder the blame for what is happening in the country," she declared, her words resonating with many present. The June 30 deadline, she clarified, is not a mandate from March but a collective call from South Africans advocating for the enforcement of their nation's laws without bias.

A strong group of community movements gathered at the Protea Hotel in Midrand as part of the final push for illegal immigrants to leave South Africa.

Image: Itumeleng English/Independent Newspapers

Ngobese-Zuma's address, which galvanised more than 15 civic movements, comes two days after the acting minister of police, Firoz Cachalia, announced that his ministry has mobilised a R600 million security bill for the June 30 shutdown.

Her strong words come as Ngobese-Zuma and her team confirmed that the June 30 deadline was not imposed by March, but rather a rallying call from ordinary South Africans who want to see the country's laws enforced without fear or favour.

Musa Ka-Hlongwa, a key representative from the United South Africans, articulated their pressing demands, which include the transfer of all Home Affairs immigration officers to the Border Management Agency (BMA). This move, they insist, would facilitate stricter control over the borders.

"We demand that all Home Affairs immigration officers be transferred to the Border Management Agency (BMA) to ensure tighter control over our borders," she asserted.

Central to the coalition's message is a call for the township economy to be returned to its rightful South African owners. "The township economy must be reserved for South African citizens only," Mbewe asserted, advocating for legislative changes to reinforce this position. The movements believe that the current economic landscape disproportionately favours foreign nationals, detracting from local opportunities and growth.

The gathering also emphasised the need for the deportation of undocumented immigrants, specifically targeting nationals from Nigeria, Somalia, Pakistan, and China. "We have been trying to engage with the government over the past 12 months, and it is clear that they do not understand what we want."

The press briefing coincided with the meeting between the Gauteng police and the Private Security Industry Strengthen Partnership Ahead of 30 June Demonstrations led by the acting police minister and acting national police commissioner, Lieutenant General Puleng Dimpane.

During the briefing, General Dimpane described the 2021 riots as a pivotal moment for law enforcement in South Africa. He asserted, "I want to assure all South Africans that the SAPS, working closely with other law enforcement agencies, including the metro and private security, are fully prepared for the planned demonstrations on June 30."