The ANC in Gauteng has declared war on illegal immigration, stating that illegal foreigners cannot be comfortable in the country without the right to be here.
Speaking at a media briefing in Johannesburg on Thursday, ANC Gauteng coordinator Hope Papo said the recent provincial Lekgotla resolved that illegal immigration and its impact on labour laws and public services can no longer be ignored.
“This is a violation of labour laws, violation of immigration act. The Lekgotla said that’s a very serious matter we must take up as part of our work…. They cannot walk around comfortably without proper documentation,” he said.
Papo said it cannot be business as usual that lawlessness and illegal immigration are tolerated in Gauteng.
He urged the government to take decisive steps against the matter.
“So it’s a combination of what government does, but it’s also what citizens do to assist in dealing with the problem of illegal immigration. It has to be a joint effort so that citizens who participate in abetting illegal immigration must also understand that they’re doing a disservice to the country.
“Because you cannot come in public and say illegal immigration is a problem when you’ve got an illegal employee in your home employed when you’ve got a tenant in your home renting, and then you say that illegal immigration is a problem,” he said.
Papo clarified that is not on foreigners they were targeting but their illegal entry into the country.
Supporting his sentiments, ANC co-convener, Panyaza Lesufi, said they have started with the process of reclaiming hijacked buildings across the province but more especially in the City of Johannesburg (CoJ).
Gauteng residents continue to suffer from persistent service delivery failures, including limited water supply, overflowing sewage, uncollected waste, and rolling power outages—symptoms of crumbling infrastructure and unchecked corruption at the municipal level.
Despite these challenges having plagued communities for years, little meaningful change has been seen.
The ANC’s renewed stance signals a potential turning point, with illegal immigration, failing infrastructure, and lawlessness now squarely in the crosshairs.
Politics
