Ramaphosa migrant stunt slammed as weak

By Palesa Matlala

• Ramaphosa says undocumented migrants will face faster deportations, tighter border checks and new immigration courts under a five point government plan.

• ActionSA and March and March have rejected the plan, saying government still does not understand the immigration crisis.

President Cyril Ramaphosa’s five-key plan to crackdown illegal immigration in the country leaves South African’s angry and frustrated.

Speaking from the Union Buildings on Sunday night, Ramaphosa said South Africans have raised serious concerns about crime, jobs, safety and the rule of law.

He said government had heard those concerns and would act.

“These concerns are real. They deserve to be heard. They deserve to be addressed,” said Ramaphosa.

His address came after weeks of anti-migrant protests in Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape.

Some foreign nationals have already left South Africa because they fear violence and threats of a shutdown at the end of June.

Ramaphosa announced a five point plan to tighten immigration controls.

The government’s five key plans:

• Faster deportations: Home Affairs, the Border Management Authority, the South African Police Service and other agencies will step up operations to find and deport undocumented migrants.

• Immigration courts and workplace raids: Government will set up dedicated immigration courts and increase checks on companies employing undocumented foreign nationals.

• Stronger borders: Government will invest in border technology, infrastructure and staff, and move refugee reception centres closer to border posts.

• Crackdown on fake documents: Officials who sell documents illegally will be targeted, while green identity books will be phased out and replaced by Digital ID.

• Tougher laws: Government will introduce quotas for foreign workers and close loopholes in immigration and labour laws.

Ramaphosa said more than 450,000 people were stopped from entering South Africa illegally in the past year.

He warned employers who hire undocumented migrants that tougher punishment is coming.

The Department of Employment and Labour has started recruiting 10,000 inspectors to help enforce the law.

But opposition party ActionSA was not impressed.

The party called the address weak and accused the African National Congress-led government of repeating failed promises.

ActionSA said: “South Africans want mass deportations, stronger borders and properly funded enforcement agencies.”

The party also criticised Ramaphosa for not taking media questions after the address.

While March and March founding member Jacinta Zinhle MaNgobese Zuma also rejected the plan.

She said in a social media post Ramaphosa should go back to the drawing board and visit Home Affairs, the Border Management Authority, borders and refugee centres to understand the real problems.

She said she was disappointed that Ramaphosa still viewed the crisis as political and tribal.

Ramaphosa warned South Africans not to take the law into their own hands.

“We can secure our communities while preserving the values of Ubuntu that define us as a people,” he said.

Pictured above: President Cyril Ramaphosa.

Image source: File