Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma, leader of the March and March movement, has welcomed President Cyril Ramaphosa’s recent address on immigration while raising significant concerns about the practicality of proposed enforcement measures.
Ngobese-Zuma acknowledged that the President’s speech reflected growing national concerns over illegal immigration and the need for stronger enforcement of existing laws. She specifically noted appreciation for Ramaphosa’s acknowledgment of crime linked to immigration, the takeover of spaza shops by foreign nationals, and the employment of foreign workers over South African citizens.
However, Ngobese-Zuma expressed concern that the President appeared to frame immigration primarily as a political issue rather than addressing it as a pressing human rights matter affecting South Africans grappling with crime, unemployment, and overstretched public resources.
“We wanted to meet the president to explain the extent of the problem,” Ngobese-Zuma stated. “But seemingly he seems to think this is about politics.”
Implementation Concerns Raised
The spokesperson outlined several practical obstacles to the President’s proposed solutions:
- Deportation logistics: Ngobese-Zuma questioned the feasibility of increased deportations, noting that authorities lack sufficient vehicles to transport the number of individuals slated for removal.
- Court capacity: She argued that increasing the number of courts would have limited impact without the means to transport detainees to proceedings.
- Staffing shortages: With only approximately 800 immigration officers nationwide, she described the task of processing all undocumented individuals as “impossible” under current resources.
- Legislative barriers: Ngobese-Zuma contested the President’s suggestion that employers hiring foreign nationals could face criminal penalties, stating such measures are not currently legislatively possible.
Refugee Policy and Documentation Gaps
Ngobese-Zuma also questioned the proposal to establish new refugee processing centers, asking what would become of the millions of refugees already in South Africa without proper documentation. She urged the government to begin by addressing existing agreements with United Nations refugee frameworks before announcing new infrastructure.
Regarding spaza shops, she noted that ongoing consultations face constitutional challenges, as some political parties argue that excluding individuals claiming refugee status from operating tuck shops may be unconstitutional. Ngobese-Zuma countered that this legal complexity stems partly from individuals entering the country under questionable refugee claims with improper documentation.
June 30 Deadline Clarified
Addressing the widely discussed June 30 date, Ngobese-Zuma clarified that the deadline was issued by “Phakelumthakathi”, encouraging those residing in South Africa illegally to depart voluntarily before enforcement intensifies. She emphasized that self-deportation is more cost-effective than state-coordinated removals.
Ngobese-Zuma confirmed that March and March, alongside allied organizations including the Abahambe Movement and other progressive civil society groups, plan to coordinate public demonstrations if government action remains insufficient. However, she expressed concern about potential infiltration by political actors seeking to characterize their peaceful marches as vigilante activity.
“Rama doesn’t live with illegal immigrants. We do,” Ngobese-Zuma concluded, underscoring the movement’s insistence that solutions must be grounded in the daily realities faced by South African communities.
