MORULENG, North West — While Africa Day is meant to honor continental solidarity and the 1963 founding of the Organization of African Unity—now the African Union—the national commemoration in Moruleng became a platform for urgent discussions on immigration enforcement and community safety.
Sport, Arts and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie opened remarks by addressing the noticeable absence of several African ambassadors, suggesting their decision to skip the event reflected broader tensions. “For them, if they don’t want to come here, we hope the citizens can take that posture to say we are boycotting South Africa,” McKenzie observed. He quickly added a call for peace: “I want to say to South Africans, don’t attack foreigners. They’re going to leave. But don’t fight a crime by committing a crime.”
McKenzie stressed that while South Africa upholds its continental commitments, the nation is not a “refugee center of Africa.” He affirmed that immigration matters must be resolved through lawful channels: “They are going to leave, but they’re going to live by the law.”
Traditional leaders present at the event voiced deep concerns about local safety. One spokesperson stated, “The crimes and everything that is happening in the communities… it is not our community that is doing it but the foreign nationals that are doing this to our communities.” The leader added that traditional authorities feel caught between community expectations and government perceptions: “We are the ones looking at our communities suffering because the government is saying the traditional leaders are doing nothing… Our communities are the ones who are suffering and the traditional leaders are suffering too because the population in the communities is vast because of these foreign nationals.”
Residents shared divergent views. One community member, citing personal loss, said: “Our kids, our sisters, brothers, sisters, they have been raped. They’ve been killed. So I think it’s fair for everyone to go back home. So if you are undocumented then you’ll have to go back home.” Another resident offered a more measured perspective: “I think those who are having skills, those who are in our country legally is fine. We can have them.”
Minister McKenzie also responded to recent comments by former President Thabo Mbeki, who had suggested that illegal immigration is not the primary source of South Africa’s challenges. “President Mbeki, like myself, we have medical. We live in houses with high walls. We are being driven around by security,” McKenzie remarked. “Now he cannot speak. He’s so far removed from the realities on the ground. Our people are saying to us they don’t want these people here anymore.”
The debate has been amplified by civic action. Organizations including the March and March Movement have organized public marches calling for undocumented foreign nationals to return to their countries of origin.
Government representatives concluded by reaffirming official policy: South Africa remains open to lawful immigration and regional partnership, but individuals residing in the country without proper documentation must be processed in accordance with existing immigration statutes.
