CENTANE, Eastern Cape — The Pan Africanist Congress (PAC) convened a community gathering in a village near Centane to observe Africa Month, centering discussions on continental unity, civic participation, and local organizational growth. The event drew residents primarily from Centane and neighboring villages, with community members singing and celebrating under tents as the party reinforced its pan-African vision.
PAC President Mzwanele Nyhontso, a native of the area, outlined the day’s three-fold purpose: honoring Africa Liberation Day following the May 25 continental observance; motivating youth to register as voters; and inaugurating the PAC’s first-ever branch in the locality.
“Our forebears established Africa Day to remind us that South Africa is part of Africa and that Africans on this continent are one,” Nyhontso stated. “No African can be a foreigner in Africa.”
Addressing national discourse on migration, Nyhontso redirected focus toward structural economic challenges. He asserted that South Africa’s core issues—unemployment, job scarcity, and stagnant growth—are not caused by foreign nationals. “Let’s grow the economy. Let’s create jobs,” he urged, adding that comprehensive documentation of all residents would enable broader tax contribution and revenue generation. He questioned the feasibility of mass deportations given porous border infrastructure.
Nyhontso also raised concerns about selective enforcement narratives around undocumented residents. He noted that while Black foreign nationals face heightened scrutiny, white foreign nationals—including business operators at airports and individuals linked to organized crime in affluent suburbs such as Constantia, Bishop’s Court, Sandton, and Waterfall—rarely attract comparable public attention. “If we want to talk about illegal foreigners, let us not talk about only Black people,” he emphasized, reiterating that “an African cannot be a foreigner in Africa.”
On youth unemployment, Nyhontso disputed claims that migrants displace South African workers. He observed that many foreign nationals operate small enterprises like salons rather than competing for formal sector roles. “It is not true that young people are not working because their jobs are taken by foreign nationals,” he said. “What is not happening in South Africa is the growth of the economy.” He maintained that sustainable employment depends on economic expansion, not exclusion, while acknowledging that law enforcement should address employers who hire undocumented workers.
The gathering doubled as a voter registration initiative targeting young adults, many of whom have not participated in prior elections. Organizers highlighted strong youth attendance alongside engaged elders. Nyhontso confirmed the PAC’s commitment to contesting upcoming elections across all wards in South Africa, including the Muba municipality, stating the party is “growing at a fast rate” and intends for its presence to be “felt” nationwide.
Attendees continued arriving well after the event’s 10:30 a.m. start, eager to hear leadership address rural poverty and job creation. The PAC framed the Centane gathering as part of broader Africa Month efforts to strengthen grassroots mobilization in deep rural communities while advancing pan-African solidarity.
