The Ahmed Kathrada Foundation (AKF) has expressed concern that chaos could result if government does not deal decisively with illegal immigration in South Africa. The comments follow President Cyril Ramaphosa’s announcement of a five-point plan aimed at addressing illegal immigration and strengthening border management. Meanwhile, civic movement March and March says it will continue enforcing provisions of the Criminal Procedure Act, which allows citizens to arrest individuals for certain offences without a warrant. AKF Executive Director Neeshan Balton says the government now needs to provide
more details on how it intends to implement the plan. Balton says, “I thought the president was walking a fine line on an issue that it could potentially be tearing the country apart, and with the limited options that South Africa has, he I think did the correct things by identifying five key things that will be done. The announcement didn’t come with much of the details, which we hope will be outlined in the very near future…” He says the issue remains complex and
requires careful implementation. “It is a tricky option that the government has taken, which is which basically means the deportation of undocumented foreign nationals. And we certainly hope that this is done in a way that is not the equivalent of how ICE operates in the US…” President Ramaphosa recently announced measures that include cracking down on violations of immigration laws, preventing illegal entry into the country, tackling corruption within the immigration system, and strengthening immigration legislation and policies. The AKF says further clarity on
the implementation of these measures will be important in addressing concerns around illegal immigration while maintaining social stability.
Ahmed Kathrada Foundation, AKF, illegal immigration, Cyril Ramaphosa, five-point plan, border management, Criminal Procedure Act, March and March, Neeshan Balton, deportation, immigration corruption, social stability