Africa-Press. South Africa is witnessing an escalation in the debate surrounding immigration as the June 30 deadline approaches, set by several anti-immigration movements to organize nationwide protests demanding the deportation of undocumented migrants and prioritizing job opportunities for South African citizens.
Civil society organizations, labor unions, political parties, and representatives from religious institutions held an online meeting aimed at countering the anti-migrant rhetoric and condemning what they described as the vilification of migrants and blaming them for the economic and social crises facing the country.
During the meeting, participants sought to refute the accusations promoted by anti-immigration movements, asserting that data and studies do not support claims that migrants are responsible for rising unemployment rates or taking away job opportunities.
Rithabile Ratsumo, a member of the Ahmed Kathrada Foundation, which organized the initiative, stated that studies indicate that entrepreneurship among migrants contributes to the creation of new job opportunities, explaining that a study from the World Bank showed that each migrant working in South Africa creates approximately two jobs for South African citizens.
The participants, representing around twenty organizations and bodies, reaffirmed their commitment to the values of democracy and peaceful coexistence, calling for a rejection of hate speech and discrimination against migrants.
Activist Ella Gandhi warned of the dangers of rising biased rhetoric, considering that South Africa is facing a moral challenge similar to what it experienced during the apartheid era, when prejudices were used to justify discrimination against black populations.
She added that ignoring these practices would undermine the humanitarian principles upon which the democratic state was founded, urging a firm stance against all forms of discrimination and hatred.
At the conclusion of the meeting, participants acknowledged that the public anger towards unemployment, poverty, and widening inequality is understandable; however, they emphasized that blaming migrants does not address the root causes of the crisis, asserting that the primary responsibility lies with the government due to poor management and ongoing corruption, which necessitates addressing the real causes of economic and social crises instead of placing the blame on migrants.
