Illegal immigration represents a worldwide challenge demanding structured policy intervention, according to ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula, who cautioned against conflating legitimate security concerns with prejudice toward foreign nationals.
Addressing attendees during an ANC Volunteers Programme event in KwaZulu-Natal, Mbalula stressed that while governments must develop effective strategies to manage irregular migration, South Africa should not be mischaracterized as hostile toward people from other nations.
“It’s a global crisis that requires governments to formulate a response to this,” Mbalula said. “But we can never allow ourselves… when apartheid was described as a crime against humanity, to accept our country to be described as a xenophobic country that hates other nations. That’s not the case. We don’t hate people.”
Mbalula, who previously served as Minister of Police, referenced direct field experience to underscore the tangible impact of organized crime on local communities. He described witnessing illicit networks operating in multiple regions.
“I was a minister of police. I was in Kagiso. I was in the Vaal, Johannesburg Central,” he recounted. “I saw these drug cartels dishing out drugs and all of that to the youth and even illegal prostitution, teenage prostitution in the areas of Durban. I’ve seen that with my eyes. I know the pain and suffering of our people.”
His comments reflect ongoing national discussions around migration management, public safety, and social cohesion. Mbalula advocated for solutions grounded in both practical enforcement and humanitarian principles, framing the issue as one requiring balanced, evidence-based leadership rather than reactive rhetoric.
The ANC leader’s remarks come amid broader continental and global debates on migration flows, border governance, and the protection of vulnerable populations—both citizens and newcomers.