Jobs will be set aside for South Africans: ANC talks tough

In its election manifesto presented by President Cyril Ramaphosa, the ANC is advocating for the reservation of jobs for South Africans over foreigners, endorsing stricter immigration laws.

The party’s stance aligns with proposals in the citizenship white paper by Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi.

“The ANC will regulate employment of foreign workers in line with the National Labour Migration Policy, to give preference to South African jobseekers and act against the employment and exploitation of undocumented persons,” said Ramaphosa.

The manifesto also proposes locating refugee and asylum centers near border posts to address immigration challenges that have sparked tensions in the country.

Additionally, it suggests repealing the Citizenship Act and Births and Deaths Registration Act to consolidate them into a single legislation on citizenship, immigration, and refugee protection.

Furthermore, the ANC plans to review or withdraw from international conventions like the 1951 UN Refugee Convention and the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) Convention on Refugee Problems in Africa.

This move is part of a broader strategy to regulate illegal migration, as stated by Ramaphosa.

The party aims to amend parts of the Immigration Act and the Employment Services Act to prioritize local job seekers over foreign nationals.

Ramaphosa emphasized the need for a comprehensive overhaul of the country’s immigration policy and system to address new challenges and prevent contradictions.

According to Human Rights Watch, there are between 2.5 million and 5 million illegal immigrants in South Africa.

The government’s Border Management Authority was established to tackle the influx of illegal immigrants, with the ANC seeking a unified law on citizenship, immigration, and refugees to streamline regulations and enforcement.