CAPE TOWN, WESTERN CAPE — Deputy President Paul Mashatile has announced that the government is implementing a comprehensive, five-pillar approach to address the country’s escalating migration challenges. Addressing oral questions in the National Council of Provinces, Mashatile detailed the state’s multi-faceted strategy while calling for lawful conduct and decisive police action amid recent community unrest.
The Deputy President’s address comes against the backdrop of heightened tensions and protests directed at undocumented foreign nationals. The urgency of the situation was recently highlighted by scenes of Malawian nationals fleeing their homes in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal.
In response to these escalating challenges, Mashatile outlined the government’s comprehensive strategy, which is built upon five core pillars:
1. Cracking down on violations of immigration and labor laws.
2. Preventing illegal entry into the country.
3. Stamping out corruption within the immigration system.
4. Strengthening existing immigration laws and policies.
5. Collaborating with neighboring and continental countries to manage immigration challenges across the region.
Additionally, Mashatile noted that new legislation is in the works to introduce employment quotas regarding the hiring of foreign nationals.
Addressing the recent wave of protests, the Deputy President urged citizens to express their concerns lawfully and strictly reject vigilantism. He placed the onus on law enforcement to maintain order, calling on the police to act decisively. Mashatile emphasized that the state cannot be accused of connivance in acts of violence against any individuals, insisting that all enforcement actions must remain strictly within the bounds of the law.
Beyond migration issues, Mashatile was also questioned about the ongoing deployment of soldiers to assist police in several provinces. The military deployment aims to combat gang violence, extortion, and illegal mining.
Mashatile recently visited Mitchell’s Plain to assess the progress of these security operations. Following his tour of the Cape Flats, he indicated that while progress is being made, significantly more work is required in surrounding areas. He noted that operations must expand beyond Khayelitsha and Gugulethu, suggesting that the state may need to expand its current capacity and deploy additional specialized units to these hotspots.
Concluding his remarks on the social climate surrounding the migration debate, Mashatile firmly pushed back against narratives of widespread prejudice, asserting that South Africans are not xenophobic.
