The government says South Africans will regain confidence in its handling of illegal immigration and crime only when they begin seeing tangible improvements in their communities.
Speaking after nationwide anti-illegal immigration marches, minister in the presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni said citizens are fair-minded and would judge government on its actions rather than political rhetoric.
“What we like about South Africans is that they are objective people, they are fair people and they are reasonable people,” Ntshavheni said.
“Even where there is mob psychology, South Africans tend to reason and ask, ‘What does this really mean?'”
Frustrations understandable
She said government understands public frustration over undocumented foreign nationals and crime but insisted that lasting trust will come through visible progress.
“When South Africans see tangible improvements in their communities, where there are fewer undocumented foreign nationals and those numbers are reducing significantly, South Africans will say government is moving.”
Ntshavheni added that communities also want to see decisive action against criminality.
“When South Africans see that what they have complained about, particularly criminality in their communities, is being addressed, they will say government is taking them seriously in the fight against crime.”
She said the inter-ministerial committee established by President Cyril Ramaphosa remains committed to implementing the president’s comprehensive action plan, which aims to strengthen border management, improve immigration enforcement and combat crime.
‘Numerical targets impossible’
The minister also dismissed calls for government to announce numerical targets or deadlines for deporting undocumented foreign nationals.
She said it was impossible to provide a figure for people whose identities are unknown.
“If we had the numbers, they would be documented,” Ntshavheni said. “We account for asylum seekers, refugees, people with visas and special permits. Those who are undocumented cannot be accounted for until they are identified.”
According to Ntshavheni, undocumented foreign nationals are identified through routine law enforcement operations, labour inspections and municipal by-law enforcement before being processed in accordance with South African law.
‘June 30 was never government deadline’
She also clarified that government had never committed to a June 30 deadline for mass deportations.
“We have never operated on the basis of mass deportation deadlines. The 30 June deadline was never a government deadline.”
Turning to Monday’s nationwide demonstrations, Ntshavheni said the government’s responsibility was not to organise or oppose the marches but to ensure they remained peaceful and lawful.
“South Africans have a constitutional right to protest. That right cannot be taken away by anyone. But when you exercise your rights, you must also exercise your responsibilities.”
She commended organisers for ensuring the demonstrations remained peaceful and warned that law enforcement agencies would act against anyone attempting to exploit the protests for criminal purposes.
- The government stresses that South Africans will regain trust in its handling of illegal immigration and crime only through visible improvements in their communities.
- Minister Khumbudzo Ntshavheni emphasized that citizens are fair-minded and will judge government based on actions, not rhetoric, acknowledging public frustration over undocumented immigrants and crime.
- The inter-ministerial committee, under President Ramaphosa, remains committed to strengthening border management, immigration enforcement, and crime fighting in line with a comprehensive action plan.
- Ntshavheni rejected demands for numerical deportation targets, stating it's impossible to set figures for undocumented people until they are identified, and clarified there was never a government deadline of June 30 for mass deportations.
- Regarding nationwide anti-illegal immigration marches, the government upholds the constitutional right to peaceful protest but warned against criminal exploitation of demonstrations, praising organizers for maintaining peace.
