The Inkatha Freedom Party has issued a firm call for the deportation of individuals residing in South Africa without legal status, stressing that immigration statutes must be rigorously enforced to uphold the rule of law. IFP National Spokesperson Mkhuleko Hlengwa outlined the party’s position during a recent broadcast, characterizing unauthorized migration as an escalating national crisis.
Responding to opposition remarks that the government’s newly announced strategy is “too little, too late,” Hlengwa acknowledged that while the President’s action plan appears robust on paper, its effectiveness will ultimately depend on execution. He emphasized that the immediate priority must shift to developing a concrete implementation roadmap, securing dedicated treasury allocations, and addressing operational bottlenecks within agencies like the Border Management Authority. Key operational steps, he noted, should include fortifying border surveillance, synchronizing fragmented government databases, and initiating lawful deportations where applicable. Hlengwa also called for swift verification of existing permits and a targeted crackdown on criminal syndicates producing counterfeit travel documents.
Hlengwa described the situation as a multidimensional security threat that is heavily burdening public healthcare, straining social welfare infrastructure, and enabling systemic exploitation. He traced the current migration surge to a breakdown in regional diplomatic frameworks, arguing that neighboring administrations have tolerated authoritarian crackdowns and undemocratic instability that push citizens across borders. When asked why South Africa has historically struggled to address the issue, he pointed to a persistent deficit in political will. He referenced the 2004 removal of former Home Affairs Minister Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi after he championed stricter immigration legislation—a rare political moment where a sitting president pursued legal action against his own cabinet member. Hlengwa suggested that lingering ANC sympathies rooted in liberation-era solidarity have fostered a “misguided and misplaced” assumption that South Africa operates as an unrestricted territory. He contrasted this with historical reality, noting that anti-apartheid exiles hosted in countries like Tanzania and Zambia were accommodated in regulated camps rather than permitted to roam freely.
On the President’s proposal to deploy special envoys to African nations and beyond, Hlengwa supported diplomatic engagement but stressed that discussions must be anchored in factual realities. He cited recent dismissive political rhetoric from Ghana and similar public protests in Tunisia over unauthorized migration as indicators that source governments often overlook legal violations committed by their citizens abroad. He clarified public sentiment on the matter: “South Africans are not opposed to immigration; they are against illegal foreign migration and the risks that accompany it.” Hlengwa added that countries as distant as Pakistan and Bangladesh must also understand South Africa’s legal and socioeconomic context. Without committed treasury funding for both preventive and corrective interventions, he warned, the state would continue draining resources through systemic failures.
Reiterating the party’s firm stance, Hlengwa concluded that individuals residing in the country without lawful status must be deported in strict accordance with national legislation. The IFP maintains that only through disciplined enforcement, targeted regional diplomacy, and fully resourced implementation can South Africa secure its borders and protect essential public services.