By Teboho Moloi
QWAQWA – As pressure mounts ahead of the widely publicized June 30 deadline set by civic groups for undocumented foreign nationals to leave South Africa, political organisations in the Free State have thrown their support behind calls for stricter immigration enforcement.
The South African Communist Party (SACP) in the Thabo Mofutsanyana District and the South African Royal Kingdom Organisation (SARKO) in Maluti-a-Phofung say government must intensify efforts to identify, arrest and deport undocumented foreigners, arguing that illegal immigration is contributing to crime, unemployment and economic hardship in local communities.
SACP district secretary Lifa Mhlambe said all individuals living in South Africa are expected to respect and comply with the country’s laws.
According to Mhlambe, public frustration has grown as some undocumented foreign nationals have been linked to criminal activities, creating tensions within communities already struggling with high unemployment and poverty.
“We will not support anyone who commits crime. South Africa is not a banana republic; we have laws that must be respected by everyone living in this country,” said Mhlambe.
“As the Communist Party, we believe government institutions must work harder to ensure that those who are in the country illegally are identified, arrested and returned to their countries of origin.”
Mhlambe stressed that law enforcement agencies should act decisively against criminality regardless of nationality while ensuring that immigration laws are enforced fairly and consistently.
Meanwhile, SARKO Maluti-a-Phofung council chief whip Napo Letlala urged residents to support the campaign calling for the removal of undocumented foreigners from South Africa by June 30.
Letlala argued that local economic opportunities, particularly in township businesses, have increasingly shifted away from South African ownership.
“Many of the tuck shops that were once owned by local black South Africans have disappeared and are now operated by foreign nationals. Communities are concerned that local economic opportunities are being lost while unemployment continues to rise,” he said.
He called on the Maluti-a-Phofung Local Municipality to establish funding programmes aimed at assisting local entrepreneurs to enter the spaza shop and small business sector.
According to Letlala, empowering local residents through financial support and business development initiatives could help stimulate economic growth and create much-needed employment opportunities.
“That is why we are encouraging people to stand up and support efforts aimed at restoring local economic participation. We believe communities must play a role in rebuilding and strengthening the local economy,” he said.
The calls come amid ongoing national debates over immigration, border security, economic participation and the role of foreign nationals in South Africa’s informal economy.
Government has repeatedly stated that while undocumented immigration remains a concern, all enforcement actions must be carried out within the framework of the Constitution and the rule of law.
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