JOHANNESBURG — Ahead of the planned June 30 immigration shutdown, Cosatu President Zingiswa Losi has firmly condemned the proposed action, warning that scapegoating foreign nationals distracts from the country’s real governance failures. Speaking out against the looming demonstrations, the labor federation emphasized that the crisis is being fueled by employer exploitation rather than the mere presence of undocumented migrants.
The federation’s stance was a central theme during a virtual rally hosted by the Ahmed Kathrada Foundation on June 27. Operating under the theme “Defend Democracy, Reject the Shutdown,” the online event united faith-based, business, and civil society groups to explore peaceful, alternative solutions to the nation’s immigration challenges. During the gathering, Cosatu General Secretary Solly Phetoe echoed the sentiment that the shutdown initiative is a calculated maneuver to fracture the working class and the poor.
In a subsequent broadcast interview, Losi elaborated on the federation’s position, stressing that South Africa’s status as a constitutional democracy requires the strict and fair enforcement of both immigration and labor laws. She expressed deep empathy for migrant workers, explaining that they are often fleeing severe “push factors” in their home nations—such as economic stagnation, political instability, and a lack of human rights or democratic tolerance. Conversely, she noted that “pull factors” drawing them across the border are the South African government’s ongoing efforts to rectify historical inequalities.
Addressing the risk of the June 30 shutdown devolving into xenophobic violence, Losi highlighted Cosatu’s 40-year track record of organizing lawful, regulated protest actions. While she acknowledged the intense economic frustration among citizens facing a “very small pie,” she insisted that marches must remain humane. She cautioned against directing aggression toward vulnerable African neighbors, pointing out that historical migration patterns, such as the movement of people from Zimbabwe during the Rhodesian era, are deeply embedded in South Africa’s own cultural DNA.
When challenged on the valid concerns that unregulated migration depresses wages and worsens the local employment crisis, Losi pivoted to place the blame squarely on corporate malfeasance. She argued that unscrupulous employers deliberately hire undocumented foreign nationals to bypass national minimum wages, occupational health and safety standards, and other hard-won trade union protections. By consciously exploiting vulnerable workers and hiding them from labor inspectors to evade penalties, these businesses are actively dividing the working class to avoid accountability.
Losi further noted that severe austerity measures and budget cuts have crippled the state’s capacity to enforce existing regulations effectively. Looking beyond South Africa’s borders, she called on other African governments to take ownership of the root causes driving mass exoduses. She argued that the continent’s nations must proactively improve their own economic and political conditions, rather than only engaging with Pretoria when faced with the financial burden of repatriating their citizens.