Frustrated community members gathered at the local hall on June 11 to voice grievances over the impact of undocumented immigrants in the township.

The dialogue, facilitated by the KaBokweni Community Movement, echoed the rising wave of nationwide protesters calling for stricter border control and deportations. The residents demanded immediate government intervention, citing a severe strain on community safety, public infrastructure and the economy.

Lucky Nkuna levelled serious allegations against undocumented foreign nationals, claiming that the identities of local South African schoolchildren are being cloned. He said this is reportedly being done to fraudulently register illegal foreign children into the Mpumalanga Department of Education to grant them access to various local schools.

Another major point raised was the illegal occupation of land by foreign nationals. Residents said this has reportedly led to widespread illegal connections to the power and water grids, severely depleting limited municipal resources intended for South Africans.

They further complained about an influx of drugs into the community. They alleged that certain criminal elements among the foreign national population are working in collusion with local police officers to secure protection from prosecution.

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They pointed out the high number of foreign nationals employed as teachers at privately owned schools, as well as waiters and waitresses in local restaurants. They said these opportunities should be prioritised for citizens as they are not classified as scarce skills.

The meeting did not only focus on external factors; residents also directed criticism at South African property and business owners who, they claim, contribute to the issue by leasing or selling land and garages to foreign nationals to establish businesses such as spaza shops. They also criticised those who rent accommodation to undocumented nationals.

The dialogue concluded with a clear mandate for collective action, emphasising the community’s intent to operate within legal frameworks while escalating their grievances.

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Joshua Malope from the KaBokweni Community Movement urged attendees to mobilise the broader population over the next seven days to build a unified support base for their stance.

He said a follow-up public meeting would be convened at the end of the seven-day period to assess community readiness and solidarity, and to determine the way forward based on feedback from authorities. The follow-up meeting was convened on June 18.