Why are authorities failing to stop influx?
JOHANNESBURG - Lack of political will and making noise only when it's politically opportunistic for some leaders is the reason South Africa is still bearing the brunt of an influx of undocumented migrants.
This is the view of eNCA viewers who have participated in The South African Morning question on Monday. We asked: "Why are authorities failing to stop the influx of undocumented migrants?
The debate has been sparked by Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi's call for foreign nationals to get documented or leave the country.
"There's a difference between 'failing to' and 'not wanting to'. The authorities are not failing to stop the influx of undocumented migrants into the country;" said Theo-Dixie Silaule on the eNCAnews Facebook page.
He added: "They just don't want to stop it. If indeed they wanted to stop it, they would have stopped it a long time ago by doing what needs to be done".
"Authorities, including border management, police, and the military, are completely ineffective because they are not held to account in performing their duties. Further, this situation is also ideal for corruption and bribery. Those undocumented foreigners are being allowed to enter and stay by bribing officials," says Walter Trevisan.
@DylonGStains was scathing on X, accusing some authorities of benefiting from uncontrolled migration.
"Because failure serves someone. Cheap labour, political leverage, and broken borders all benefit those in power," he says.
Some believe talking about borders is ill-informed because they're so porous they might as well be non-existent.
"South Africa's borders are basically suggestion lines - cross if you feel like it. After 30 years of ANC corruption, even the guards are undocumented," says @Markosonke1.
@NNMampane1 added his view:
"Labour migration is a global challenge, but the South African crisis is fuelled by employers who exploit these workers by paying poverty wages. @deptoflabour, @HomeAffairsSA, @DIRCO_ZA, @DLRRD_za must deal with the scourge of illegal immigrants" .
And @versemileage put the blame on the media for only covering the scourge of undocumented immigrants only when something bad has happened.
"Wait, wait: the media is interested NOW in the tsunami of undocumented migrants which started 30 years ago?" says @versemileage.
Facebook
But viewers also urged citizens to take part in the responsibility for what has become the national headache.
"The big problem is that we civilians give them places to rent, we give them jobs. If we deny them those things, then problem solved," says Rudejoi Mpetsana on Facebook.
Lesufi decried the fact that around 65 percent of Marry Me informal settlement occupants in Soshanguve are undocumented migrants.
He was addressing the Gauteng African National Congress Lekgotla over the weekend in his capacity as Provincial Task Team co-convener.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The South African
16 minutes ago
- The South African
South Africa's loan for reform: World Bank in control
South Africa's loan of R26 billion for reforms authorised by the World Bank will improve the country's infrastructure. The Country Partnership Framework serves as the core plan to help South Africa reform through investments and partnerships. Reform aims to reorganise Eskom, transition to cleaner energy sources, make state-owned enterprises work better, and influence policies. The National Treasury supports these as part of the process of getting the debt and the budget back on track. Giving private control over public value is meant to get private money to pay for public services and infrastructure. South Africa gets short-term help with energy reforms, freight transport, and job creation. The World Bank benefits by getting interest, policy power, and access to markets through its private subsidiary, the International Finance Corporation (IFC). International corporations invest alongside private companies to get into state-run industries like energy and logistics. People are worried that South Africa's economy won't be stable in the long run if it relies too much on foreign loans. Redge Nkosi, an economist, told SABC News what would happen if South Africa's reform fails: it would get weaker, and foreign investors would have an easier time taking advantage of locals. The World Bank division director for South Africa, Satu Kahkonen, and the Minister of Finance, Enoch Godongwana, believe the loan will help the country's growth through reforms. Countries like Nigeria and Burkina Faso are cutting debt and reducing foreign loan dependency. However, Africa's total debt load keeps escalating to over a trillion. Leaders at the African Union (AU) at the debt conference in Lomé, Togo, from 12 to 14 May 2025, urged the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to swiftly alter Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) to improve the utility and equity of debt relief. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 11. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news
IOL News
an hour ago
- IOL News
Anele Mdoda hilariously tells Elon Musk to not fold after his Trump apology
Anele Mdoda's humorous perspective on Elon Musk's recent public apology to President Donald Trump gave Mzansi something to chuckle over. Image: Anele Mdoda Instagram South African media personality Anele Mdoda has captured the attention of the online world with her humorous perspective on Elon Musk's recent public apology to President Donald Trump. Musk, who made headlines for his controversial remarks about Trump last week, found himself issuing an apology that has ignited debate and laughter across various platforms. Only days after a fiery exchange between Musk and Trump unfolded, with Musk criticising Trump's proposed 'big, beautiful bill' that has become a focal point in Senate discussions, he appeared to backtrack. Just hours ago, in a post made on X, which Musk owns, he acknowledged the inappropriateness of some of his earlier posts, stating, 'I regret some of my posts about President Donald Trump last week. They went too far.' Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading I regret some of my posts about President @realDonaldTrump last week. They went too far. — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 11, 2025 This admission came in the early hours of Wednesday morning, showcasing a sudden reversal just one week after a heated barrage of personal attacks aimed at Trump. In the wake of Musk's unexpected olive branch to Trump, the US President offered insight during a pre-recorded podcast, suggesting reconciliation between the two was not out of the question. 'Look, I have no hard feelings,' Trump remarked, expressing surprise at Musk's earlier comments. He continued, appreciating the merits of his own 'phenomenal' bill while hinting that Musk 'just - I think he feels very badly that he said that, actually.' Yet, while Musk's apology was intended as a step towards mending bridges, it sparked mixed reactions from netizens and commentators worldwide. Among those reacting was Mdoda, known for her sharp wit and candid opinions. Mdoda expressed her bemusement and disappointment at Musk's decision to retract his earlier stance, advising the billionaire to stand firm rather than 'fold'. Hayi chomi sufolda — Anele Mdoda (@Anele) June 11, 2025 Social media users quickly joined the fray, with comments suggesting that Musk's sudden change of heart was possibly influenced by fears over his business interests. 'When someone is about to kiss the government contracts goodbye, they behave exactly the way mastende (landlord) is behaving,' one user quipped, while another remarked, 'It takes a real man to admit when he was wrong.'
IOL News
an hour ago
- IOL News
Afrikaner refugees in the US: Settled or struggling after one month?
In a viral video making the rounds on social media, a South African-born woman living in the US claimed that a family of Afrikaner 'refugees' are going without food, money, and cellphones in a hotel. "They were of the understanding that they were going to be arriving here to assistance. People thought they were going to be arriving at a house, a job, and medical insurance. It isn't that way at all," the woman claimed. However, the founder of Amerikaners (an organisation that assists South Africans who want to accept the refugee offer), Sam Busa, dismissed the claims that the 'refugees' may be in dire straits, with some allegedly living in hotels. "We expected there would be some administrative issues for the pilot group, which is exactly why the pilot study was conducted - to iron out the everyday problems. As far as we know, the issues have been resolved and the group is settling well and excited about their new lives," she said. Busa went on to say that it is not unusual for people to be housed in hotels in a refugee programme. "The US government would never deliberately abandon people with no resources. Those posting videos are just clickbaiting people by trying to dramatise a situation in a thinly veiled attempt to discredit the refugee process."
