The presidency acknowledges that unchecked illegal migration is fueling anxiety over jobs and economic opportunities — while pushing back on claims of crime and social service overload.
By IDEA Television News Desk
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa’s administration has formally acknowledged community fears that illegal migration is displacing local workers from jobs and squeezing out local traders — a concession aimed at defusing a wave of rising xenophobic tensions across the country.
“We are responding to real concerns communities have about the effects that unchecked illegal immigration has on jobs and economic opportunities,” the presidency stated on Monday. It also admitted that some employers are hiring and exploiting undocumented foreign nationals in violation of labour laws.
“The overwhelming majority of foreign nationals in South Africa have no involvement in crime.”
The presidency also addressed widespread fears about foreign-owned spaza shops, acknowledging the perception that they are edging out local traders in communities — a flashpoint that has repeatedly triggered violence in recent years.
However, the government pushed back on other claims. It described as unfounded the notion that illegal immigrants are overwhelming hospitals and schools, stating that foreigners account for only a very small proportion of users of those public facilities. It further noted that while crimes like illegal mining and drug trafficking are frequently blamed on illegal immigration, the vast majority of foreign nationals have no criminal involvement.
On the policy front, the administration adopted a Comprehensive Approach for Migration Management to crack down on illegal immigration and labour law violations. Legislation is also being developed to introduce sector-based quotas for foreign workers. The government is simultaneously seeking collaboration from other African nations to address the root causes of migration, reaffirming its commitment to confronting racism, xenophobia, and Afrophobia.
