By Julia Moyo
Major labour federations have welcomed key aspects of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s address on migration, while urging government to ensure that commitments made are translated into concrete action.
The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) spokesperson Zanele Sabela stated that the President had acknowledged growing public concerns over illegal immigration and outlined measures aimed at strengthening border security, labour law enforcement and immigration management.
“COSATU fully agrees with President Ramaphosa, that intimidation, violence, victimisation and xenophobia against foreign nationals in the country legally or illegally, is not the answer to these ills, and will therefore not be tolerated,” said Sabela. COSATU welcomed plans to recruit 10 000 labour inspectors, saying the move would help curb the exploitation of undocumented migrants by employers who pay below-standard wages and subject workers to poor working conditions.
The federation also supported government’s commitment to intensify efforts to deport foreign nationals living in the country illegally and welcomed the proposed establishment of special immigration courts to speed up deportation processes. COSATU noted that the Border Management Authority (BMA) had prevented more than 450 000 illegal border crossings over the past year, but questioned how many undocumented migrants may have entered the country undetected.
“At the same time, this high number of attempted illegal entries makes us question how many others managed to enter the country undetected,” said Sabela. The South African Federation of Trade Unions (SAFTU) also welcomed several aspects of the President’s address, particularly his rejection of xenophobia, racism, vigilantism and mob justice.
SAFTU said it supports the President’s recognition that South Africa’s economic challenges cannot be blamed solely on migrants. “For many years SAFTU has argued that unemployment, poverty, inequality, corruption, deindustrialisation, collapsing municipalities, housing backlogs, inadequate public services and the rising cost of living are not caused by migrants,” said SAFTU General Secretary Zwelinzima Vavi.
The federation further welcomed Ramaphosa’s statement that only the state has the authority to enforce immigration laws and warned against individuals or groups conducting unlawful document inspections, intimidating workers or targeting migrants. However, SAFTU argued that government must move beyond rhetoric and take decisive action against vigilante groups and individuals who take the law into their own hands.
“What is now required is decisive action,” said Vavi, calling for the arrest and prosecution of those responsible for intimidation, violence, extortion and vigilantism. The federation also welcomed stronger action against employers who exploit undocumented workers but said enforcement should extend to corrupt officials, labour brokers and criminal syndicates involved in document fraud and human trafficking.
SAFTU further argued that years of budget cuts and austerity measures have weakened institutions responsible for enforcing immigration and labour laws, including Home Affairs, labour inspectorates, police services and border management agencies. Both labour federations welcomed government’s plans to work with countries in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and across the continent to address the root causes of migration, including poverty, conflict and lack of economic opportunities.
While supporting the President’s overall approach, both organisations stressed that the success of the migration strategy will depend on effective implementation. “President Ramaphosa has spoken, it is now up to the relevant government departments to ensure the plan is implemented. South Africans have made their voices heard over the last few months, they will be watching closely to see if government lives up to its word,” said Sabela.
