I am not aware of any nation in the world that declares in its constitution that its country “belongs to all who live in it”. That’s what South Africa has done. To what end?
So, you need only set foot in South Africa, legally or illegally, and then this country belongs to you. One wonders what we are trying to do: be different from everybody else in the world?
To make matters worse, we can’t deal with the consequences of such a declaration, and we tie ourselves in terrible knots in an attempt to live to our
exceptionalism.
The premier of Gauteng, Panyaza Lesufi, declared war on the proliferation of mekhukhu (shacks) in the province, many of which are inhabited by a significant number of undocumented migrants.
Lesufi vowed to eradicate them and deport the illegal immigrants. The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) came down on him like a tonne of bricks.
The SAHRC maintains that Lesufi would be violating the human rights of the illegal migrants and promised to stop him in his tracks if he dared.
It is worth remembering that the premier of Limpopo, Phophi Ramathuba, was summoned to appear before the Health Professions Council of South Africa for confronting a pregnant foreign woman who was seeking treatment in one of the hospitals in the province.
Putting aside the manner of her approach and the person she addressed, this is one of the consequences of the declaration.
Operation Dudula and March and March have been taking to the streets frequently to protest against illegal immigration.
In the case of Dudula, they have been besieging health facilities in a vain attempt to stop illegal foreign nationals from accessing those facilities.
These are contradictions arising from this declaration in the Constitution. But there is more.
If South Africa belongs to all who live in it, why are the foreigners not entitled to the vote and to stand for public office?
Why are they not entitled to the country’s passport? Why are they not allowed to serve in the police service and the army?
Why are foreigners entitled to healthcare and education in this country but have no obligations to pay taxes?
The government has to plan for the provision of schools, health facilities and other such things based on the size of the communities. How do you plan if anybody can come from anywhere in the world and demand services?
Does it mean we don’t intend to plan at all? Is this perhaps the reason why our public health facilities and schools can’t function properly?
The public health sector is under stress: it faces declining budgets, high vacancy rates and a lack of medications and other inputs.
We don’t have funds to employ doctors and nurses we train at great expense, and yet we invite everybody to come and utilise our health system.
The stupidity of this state of affairs is also highlighted by our stated desire to develop and deepen economic and trade ties with the continent.
How do we do that when other countries on the continent see their citizens being regularly chased around by the likes of Dudula from SA health facilities?
Even those of us who are not public relations pundits or diplomats can see that this is bad news. It is counterproductive and harms our national interest.
All we need to do is simple: stop the stupidity; do what all other countries in the world do, namely, manage migration properly and competently; treat legal migrants with respect and dignity; and run our health and education sectors well.
This exceptionalism is a bad idea. It depicts us as a country of bumbling fools.
• Professor Mangena is a former minister of science and technology
