Critics say we don't need talk, just action from the president and his government.
President Cyril Ramaphosa. Picture: GCIS
President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to soon address the nation about the growing crisis of illegal immigration and anti-immigration marches that have taken place all over the country.
It is still not clear which day Ramaphosa will address the nation on the immigration crisis, but ActionSA National Chairperson Michael Beaumont told The Citizen on Friday that South Africa does not need a family meeting on immigration. He said government must simply implement its own laws.
“They must ensure that people and goods pass through our borders legally. It requires decisions to be taken about whether people qualify to be in our country and the immediate deportation of anyone who does not qualify to be in our country,” he said.
Ramaphosa’s address
During a post-cabinet briefing on Friday, Minister in the Presidency Khumbzo Ntshavheni said that in his national address, Ramaphosa will unpack various interventions by the government in dealing with immigration issues.
“What we are communicating, which the president will detail, is the issue that there is work that is being coordinated as we have indicated in previous briefings and in the debates in parliament and in statements by our colleagues in the justice cluster.
“Government has for the longest time been seized with work to deal with migration, and we have been consolidating that work. But we will leave the details of this comprehensive approach to be explained and outlined by the president to the nation,” she said.
External forces?
Ntshavheni seemed to suggest that the anti-illegal immigration protests are being fuelled by certain forces.
“If we disclose our characterisation of the people behind the marches and everything else, we may compromise the work that is being done by law enforcement.”
Ntshavheni has warned those who have given illegal immigrants a deadline to leave the country not to break the law in their protests.
“South Africans have the right to protest, and they can march as provided for by the constitution, but South Africans have no right to take the law into their own hands.
Ntshavheni said government is ready to deal with violations of the law by South Africans and foreign nationals, leading up to the June 30 date given by lobby group March and March.
She said the government discussed a comprehensive plan to deal with concerns around immigration.
“Cabinet received and approved a comprehensive approach to managing migration in South Africa developed by the inter-ministerial committee on migration and approved a national action plan,” she said.
