“It Will Never Happen” Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma Defies ConCourt Ruling on Asylum Seekers

March and March leader Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma has rejected the government’s efforts to reopen the asylum application process, arguing that ordinary South Africans were not adequately consulted about the decision.

She maintains that immigration policies should take account of citizens’ concerns about employment, housing, healthcare and public safety. Her position places her movement at odds with the government’s obligation to follow court rulings and comply with refugee protection requirements.

The dispute follows a Constitutional Court ruling requiring the Department of Home Affairs to provide people seeking asylum with a proper opportunity to submit applications, including those who entered South Africa without documentation. Home Affairs subsequently issued a directive to resume accepting applications before withdrawing it following overcrowding and safety concerns at some reception offices.

Ngobese-Zuma’s organisation has argued that the asylum system could be abused and has called for refugee facilities to be relocated closer to the country’s borders. It has also advocated a referendum on the Constitution and South Africa’s withdrawal from the 1951 Refugee Convention.

The central disagreement concerns how South Africa should manage immigration while protecting the rights of people seeking asylum. Government officials have maintained that applications must be assessed individually and that rejected applicants can be removed through the appropriate legal procedures.

Although Ngobese-Zuma has vowed to oppose the government’s approach, political objections do not remove the obligation to comply with binding court orders. The dispute highlights the continuing tension between immigration enforcement, public concerns and South Africa’s legal responsibilities.

Source: https://x.com/MDNnewss/status/2112994428512293046

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