Activist Jacinta MaNgobese-Zuma, co-founder of the March and March movement, has sharply criticised President Cyril Ramaphosa’s Sunday address on illegal immigration, accusing his advisers of doing him “a very huge disservice”.
Speaking after the President’s national address from the Union Buildings, Jacinta said the government’s proposed measures fail to address the scale of the crisis. “The President needs to go back to the drawing board and understand how most of the things he is suggesting won’t even work,” she said.
She urged Ramaphosa to personally visit Home Affairs offices, Border Management Authority (BMA) facilities, border gates, and refugee centres to gain first-hand insight before offering solutions.
In his speech, Ramaphosa reiterated the government’s commitment to identifying and deporting undocumented foreign nationals, while blaming some private companies for inflating the influx by violating labour laws. He announced plans to establish dedicated immigration courts and recruit an additional 10,000 labour inspectors nationwide to strengthen enforcement.