Kenny Kunene Reveals First Step to Ban Undocumented Foreigners from Johannesburg

Patriotic Alliance deputy president Kenny Kunene has said that if he becomes mayor of Johannesburg after coalition talks, the city would be closed to foreign nationals who are in the country illegally. He made the remark in a short video shared under the #LGE2026 hashtag. The statement has put immigration at the centre of the debate over who should lead South Africa’s largest city, and it has also raised a practical question: how much can a city government actually do about it?

Immigration in South Africa is controlled by national law. The Department of Home Affairs handles visas, permits, border control and deportations. The Constitution also protects basic rights such as access to healthcare, education and the courts for everyone in the country, whatever their legal status. This means a municipality cannot shut its boundaries to people or remove them from the city. Any mayor would have to work through national institutions, the South African Police Service and the metro police.

That does not leave a city without any power. Metros can enforce by-laws against illegal trading, inspect businesses and act against the unlawful occupation of buildings. These are often the areas where tension over undocumented residents shows up.

The subject stirs strong feelings because Johannesburg is home to many migrants from across Africa and beyond. Many run small businesses, work in informal trade or live in crowded inner-city buildings. At the same time, residents dealing with unemployment, poor services and rising crime often want a clear explanation and a visible response. Some voters welcome firm promises on enforcement. Others fear that broad talk of excluding foreigners can feed xenophobic violence, which has hit migrant communities in Johannesburg and elsewhere before.

For Kunene’s proposal to carry weight, it would have to become specific actions that stay within the law. Voters can reasonably ask which enforcement tools a mayor would use, how the city would work with national departments and the police, and how residents and businesses would be protected from unfair treatment while crime is tackled. These questions apply to any candidate, and they show whether a promise is a real plan or just a campaign slogan.

The statement also reflects the coalition politics now playing out in Johannesburg. No party is expected to win an outright majority, so the mayor will be decided through negotiations, and smaller parties can use their bargaining power to push issues onto the agenda. Whether the Patriotic Alliance can win the mayoral post will depend on the final results and on whether other parties are willing to work with it.

Residents will be watching to see whether the debate stays focused on the lawful management of illegal activity or moves towards measures aimed at people because of their nationality. The outcome will shape the city’s reputation for tolerance, its economy and the daily lives of everyone who lives there.

https://x.com/MDNnewss/status/2119378860999319557

Current_Update feedback-opera-news-app@opera.com