Kenny Kunene Reveals The First Step He Will Take To Ban Undocumented Foreigners From Joborg

Patriotic Alliance deputy president Kenny Kunene says Johannesburg would become off-limits for undocumented foreign nationals if he becomes mayor after coalition negotiations. The statement, shared in a short video under the #LGE2026 hashtag, puts immigration at the centre of the debate over who should run South Africa’s largest city, and it raises questions about what a metro government can actually do.

Immigration in South Africa is governed by national law. The Department of Home Affairs controls visas, permits, border management and deportation, and the Constitution guarantees basic rights, including access to healthcare, schooling and courts, to everyone in the country regardless of status. A municipality cannot close its boundaries to people or expel them, so any mayor would have to work through national institutions, the South African Police Service and metro police. That does not mean a city has no role. Metros can enforce by-laws against illegal trading, inspect businesses and tackle unlawful occupation of buildings, which are often where tensions over undocumented residents arise.

The issue is emotionally charged because Johannesburg is home to large numbers of migrants from across Africa and beyond, many of whom run small businesses, work in informal trade or live in crowded inner-city buildings. Residents facing unemployment, failing services and rising crime often look for a clear explanation and a visible response. Some voters welcome firm promises on enforcement, while others worry that broad statements about excluding foreigners can fuel xenophobic violence, which has previously targeted migrant communities in the city and elsewhere.

For Kunene’s proposal to matter in practice, it would need to translate into specific actions that stay within the law. Voters could ask what enforcement tools a mayor would use, how they would coordinate with national departments and police, and how they would protect residents and businesses from unfair treatment while tackling crime. Those are fair questions for any candidate, and they test whether a promise is a plan or a campaign slogan.

The statement also reflects the broader coalition politics unfolding in Johannesburg. Because no party is expected to win an outright majority, the mayoral post will depend on negotiations, and smaller parties can use their bargaining power to push issues onto the agenda. Whether the Patriotic Alliance can secure the mayoralty will depend on the final results and the willingness of other parties to work with it.

Johannesburg residents will be watching how this debate develops, especially whether it focuses on lawful management of illegal activity or on broad measures that target people based on nationality. The answers will shape the city’s reputation for tolerance, its economy and the daily experience of everyone who calls it home.

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