Build One South Africa (BOSA) has welcomed President Cyril Ramaphosa’s acknowledgment of the scale of South Africa’s immigration crisis but warned that recognition alone is insufficient without concrete timelines and resource allocation.
In a response delivered by BOSA Deputy Leader Nobuntu Hlazo-Webster, the party emphasized that the challenges witnessed on South African streets reflect more than a migration issue—they signal a deeper leadership vacuum. Hlazo-Webster noted that when citizens begin performing the duties of immigration officials, police officers, and border management authorities, it demonstrates a loss of confidence in the state’s ability to execute its most basic functions.
“While we welcome the president finally acknowledging the scale of the problem—because this has taken too long—we observe that his address describes symptoms without addressing root causes,” Hlazo-Webster stated. She questioned why borders remain porous, why the Department of Home Affairs remains dysfunctional, why the Border Management Authority is underfunded, and why asylum systems continue to be overwhelmed, calling these unresolved issues “a failure on the state.”
Hlazo-Webster acknowledged the president’s references to strengthening border management and improving asylum system resourcing but highlighted the absence of specific budgetary allocations, implementation timelines, or details on addressing inadequate deportation budgets. “We hear commitments, but without resource allocation and clear deadlines, these remain aspirational,” she said.
The BOSA Deputy Leader also referenced the president’s past commitments to establishing specialized courts for corruption and gender-based violence, noting that such initiatives have not seen the necessary implementation. “We welcome that the president finally acknowledges an issue because you can’t address an issue that is not acknowledged. But we want to see timelines. We want to see resources to ensure that the issues are dealt with,” Hlazo-Webster concluded.
BOSA’s response underscores a broader call for accountable governance and operational follow-through as South Africa navigates complex immigration and border management challenges.
