Vuyo Zungula, Parliamentary Leader of the African Transformation Movement (ATM), has expressed skepticism regarding President Cyril Ramaphosa’s recent address on immigration, arguing that the government lacks both the political will and operational capacity to meaningfully address the issue.
Zungula contended that the President’s focus on immigration stems not from proactive governance, but from growing public pressure and actions taken by South Africans themselves. He noted that several countries have increasingly assisted in repatriating their citizens from South Africa, a development he described as more effective than government-led efforts to date.
“The South African government, particularly the GNU, has got no appetite. They’ve got no political will to address this problem,” Zungula stated. He emphasized that tensions between South Africans and foreign nationals over scarce resources, criminality, and lawlessness have persisted since 2008, with little tangible action from successive administrations.
Central to Zungula’s critique were concerns about institutional capacity. He highlighted that South Africa currently employs only 832 immigration officers authorized to verify the legal status of individuals within the country. While President Ramaphosa referenced plans to deploy 10,000 labor inspectors, Zungula clarified that these officials hold mandates limited to labor compliance and cannot enforce immigration law.
“With only 832 immigration officers for an estimated population of over 3 million undocumented foreign nationals, there is clearly no capacity,” he said. He further pointed to inadequate border infrastructure, noting that certain entry points lack fencing or formal controls, allowing unrestricted movement into the country.
Zungula urged citizens to maintain pressure on authorities until concrete measures are implemented. He cautioned against viewing the President’s address as a turning point, stating, “You can’t expect a government that has failed for over 18 years to address a problem, with one speech of a president, you then have hope that all will be well.”
The ATM leader concluded by calling for sustained civic engagement, emphasizing that meaningful progress on immigration policy requires more than rhetorical commitments.
