Scores of foreign nationals gathered in Durban, seeking documentation and safety amid rising tensions over undocumented immigration.
Image: IOL Graphic
Scores of foreign nationals gathered outside the Department of Home Affairs offices in Durban on Tuesday, expressing an urgent desire to be documented and assisted to return to their home countries.
The gathering followed protests by activist groups opposing illegal immigration, with some groups issuing a June 30 deadline for undocumented foreign nationals to leave South Africa.
Many of the foreign nationals present said they feared for their safety and no longer felt secure in the country.
The protests have highlighted growing tensions surrounding undocumented immigration in South Africa, amid allegations linking undocumented individuals to rising levels of crime and violence.
Among those monitoring the situation outside the Home Affairs offices was the Umkhonto weSizwe Labour Desk Movement, commonly known as LACO.
LACO Treasurer-General Calvin Gcabashe said: “We are not fighting against our African brothers; rather, we stand for the need to ensure safety and legal documentation within our borders.”
Gcabashe said the movement’s concerns centred on issues linked to undocumented immigration, including allegations of criminal activity such as drug trafficking and human trafficking.
“Our aim is to rectify the situation in South Africa. We must have proper measures in place to ensure we can document and monitor everyone entering the country,” he said.
The movement also raised concerns about the impact of undocumented immigration on public services, including healthcare and education.
“Our healthcare system is overwhelmed, and our educational resources are under strain. Our focus should first and foremost be on the needs of South African citizens,” Gcabashe added.
Critics of the current immigration system have also questioned why individuals fleeing conflict zones often travel long distances to seek asylum in South Africa rather than in neighbouring countries closer to their regions of origin.
Activists have argued that weaknesses in immigration enforcement have contributed to increasing numbers of undocumented foreign nationals living in the country.
Meanwhile, a joint operation by law enforcement agencies in Durban resulted in the arrest of more than 20 undocumented foreign nationals, while five retail outlets were shut down during a major compliance crackdown this week.
The operation came amid heightened tensions over illegal immigration in KwaZulu-Natal and other parts of the country.
Authorities targeted businesses along Dr Pixley kaSeme Street and Anton Lembede Street in Durban’s central business district.
A total of 32 people were detained for immigration verification, with 23 later confirmed to be in the country illegally.
Authorities said those arrested, aged between 21 and 54, included nationals from Ethiopia, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Tanzania and China.
Five businesses were also closed for allegedly failing to comply with legislation and municipal regulations.
Metro Police spokesperson Boysie Zungu said law enforcement agencies were responding to growing concerns over illegal retail operations and alleged criminal activity in Durban’s CBD.
Ward 32 councillor Protas Mngonyama, whose ward includes the Durban Central and Albert Park precincts, joined the operation and said efforts to restore order and improve safety in the inner city would continue.
Last week, hundreds of foreign nationals who fled their homes in Durban over fears of violence and intimidation were temporarily accommodated at the Diakonia Centre before being transported to Home Affairs offices for immigration verification.
On Monday, urgent meetings were convened by the South African Human Rights Commission and the Justice, Crime Prevention and Security Cluster ministers, who announced the formation of a task team of deputy ministers to work alongside law enforcement agencies on the issue.
Meanwhile, March and March leader Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma warned of a possible national shutdown if undocumented foreign nationals were not removed from the country by the end of June.
DAILY NEWS