Foreign nationals on the continent come to South Africa for different reasons, including economic opportunities.
The president of the ANC Youth League (ANCYL), Collen Malatji, has made some controversial statements about foreign nationals.
On Wednesday, Malatji accused illegal foreign nationals of “burdening” South Africa’s health system.
“Uncontrolled and illegal migration places an unsustainable burden on our communities, on the health system, education and most importantly on the labour market, where young South Africans are already struggling to find work,” he said.
Malatli explains himself
He denied that his comments were xenophobic.
“If you stay in South Africa and you go to a public service [clinic] then you know that illegal foreign nationals are heavy on our system.
“Due to our human rights commission, you cannot chase people away when they are sick; it’s inhuman. But they are heavy on the system.
“We budget for people in our country…someone who enters the country illegally, that person is heavy on the infrastructure he or she is not budgeted for,” he said.
Corruption at Home Affairs
He called on home affairs minister Leon Schreiber to take firm action against corruption at department offices across the country.
“I wonder what is happening at Germiston home affairs now that [the office building] has burnt down. I am sure that the corruption is on steroids because now there is no longer a system; people are given IDs behind the booths outside the parking lots.
“Corruption must be resolved urgently…We cannot accept that in towns like Boksburg, Germiston, and Johannesburg, foreigners just hijack buildings and nothing happens,” he said, without any evidence to back up his claims.
South Africa’s infrastructure backlog
He said he understands that illegal foreigners are not the reason for a shortage of schools and hospitals in some areas, and highlighted government’s failure to provide services to many areas.
“We have seen videos of young people crossing rivers when they go to school. That cannot happen 31 years later in South Africa; those are issues that must be resolved. It cannot be that 31 years later, after democracy, we still have young people walking kilometres, crossing dams, and in danger to access education,” he said.
Pan-Africanism
Malatji said the Youth League is on the side of the oppressed everywhere.
“However, this solidarity cannot come at the expense of the people of South Africa. We are clear that only documented migrants should be accepted in South Africa,” he said.
Securing the borders
He said technology should be used to reinforce borders.
“We call for the strengthening of borders with modern systems and technologies to protect the sovereignty of our country.”
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Foreign nationals are not to blame for South Africa’s problems
Malatji’s comments come days after EFF president Julius Malema said Nigerian nationals are not to blame for South Africa’s problems.
Instead, Malema said the problem in South Africa is white monopoly capital and imperialists who continue to exploit South Africa.
He called for greater cooperation between South Africa and Nigeria through trade, education, science and technology.
NOW READ: Malema proposes solution to one-way migration of Nigerians to South Africa