South Africa Faces Immigration Crisis Amid Rising Tensions

In Johannesburg, over 160,000 illegal immigrants have left South Africa following massive street protests demanding the expulsion of foreigners. These events highlight citizens’ growing dissatisfaction with the government over lax border controls and inaction. One local organization claims there are up to 30 million illegal immigrants in a nation with 63 million documented citizens. These undocumented individuals are blamed for contributing to crime, job scarcity, and overcrowding in public services like hospitals and schools.

Protesters have reportedly gone door-to-door in areas like Soweto, near Johannesburg, urging immigrants to leave. Earlier this month, Reuters reported that 900 individuals were arrested during nationwide protests, with isolated incidents of violence requiring police intervention. One fatality occurred near Johannesburg in this period.

Some illegal immigrants have been repatriated via flights arranged by their home countries. For example, 321 of 332 Ghanaians at Johannesburg’s OR Tambo International Airport were found to be in the country illegally. Reports indicate up to five immigrants have been killed by protesters this year, although the prominent anti-immigrant group, the March and March movement, claims to oppose violence.

The movement’s founder, Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma, insists that the group is simply encouraging foreigners to leave. She claims the illegal immigrant population in South Africa ranges between 15 and 30 million, a disputed figure given official estimates by Statistics SA suggest numbers around three million. Critics dispute the accuracy of these statistics, pointing to the ANC government’s alleged interest in downplaying the crisis.

Statistics South Africa recently reported a national unemployment rate of 32.7%, despite many illegal immigrants reportedly finding work. President Cyril Ramaphosa acknowledged that employers sometimes hire undocumented immigrants to exploit them with sub-minimum wages and longer hours without fair compensation.

The leader of March and March highlights the impact on job availability for South Africans, particularly where unemployment is extremely high. Long waits for hospital care further exacerbate tensions, with reports of significant delays at facilities like Helen Joseph hospital in Johannesburg due to the influx of foreign nationals seeking treatment.

Border security remains a critical issue, with reports of people entering through low rivers. Corruption at border posts is commonplace. Following the uproar and with elections on the horizon, President Ramaphosa has pledged to tackle immigration issues, processing 53,449 foreign nationals for deportation and repatriation as of July 11.

Public figures, such as Herman Mashaba, president of the Action SA party, criticize the government’s response, advocating for more stringent immigration enforcement. Analyst Frans Cronje notes a shift in public sentiment, with polls ranking immigration as a significant concern following unemployment. Frequent protests reflect strong antipathy towards immigrants, seen as competing for jobs and contributing to crime.

Ngobese-Zuma contends that government should act to prevent community-driven removals, criticizing authorities’ complacency on crime and immigration. Previous protests have turned deadly, such as incidents in 2008 and 2015, leading to dozens of fatalities.

Ngobese-Zuma asserts that the March and March group is unapologetically resolute in opposing illegal immigration, regardless of external perceptions of xenophobia.