Africa-Press – South-Africa. Finance minister Enoch Godongwana has challenged the sustainability of the constitutional principle that South Africa “belongs to all who live in it” in light of the country’s growing economic challenges.
Godongwana suggested that the clause was a historical mistake that was not relevant to the country’s present-day reality. He argued that it should only apply to citizens of this country.
“The constitution says South Africa belongs to all who live in it, which was a grave mistake,” he said.
“That clause was responding to a particular period, a particular issue. Now we have got all of these people rocking up into this country and legally we can’t say we cannot provide them with services.”
He was speaking during a meeting on the implementation of Treasury’s trading services reforms in metropolitan municipalities in Durban on Monday.
The clause stems from the Freedom Charter and it is now part of the constitution.
Godongwana recalled that it had been the source of rifts within anti-apartheid movements from as far back as the 1980s, noting that his pro-Freedom Charter group ― called charterists ― had supported the notion while another known as “AmaZim-Zims” rejected it.
“AmaZim-Zims used to say, ‘You guys are wrong, South Africa cannot belong to everybody.’ Now I say the AmaZim-Zims were correct,” he said.
Godongwana’s remarks come amid growing concerns about the impact of immigration on South Africa’s dwindling resources and economy. He noted that the country’s economy has been declining since 2014, leaving the rand struggling to accommodate the demands of citizens and foreign nationals.
“Our resources are limited. We’ve had an economy that has been declining, per capita, since 2014. When I say per capita I mean South Africans, I’m not including others. Our rand is declining compared to what we’ve had. Now we have got others who are claiming the same rand.”
This year has seen heightening political pressure from citizen-led organisations over immigrants and their strain on public resources.
This has seen the emergence of the controversial anti-immigration movement Operation Dudula and the rise of the March And March movement, which campaigns against undocumented foreign nationals in the country.
These groups have been seen blocking undocumented foreign nationals from accessing public healthcare services while the former has also warned against enrolling undocumented migrant pupils in public schools. These actions have received mixed reactions from citizens and government.
Godongwana added to that debate, arguing that undocumented migrants often gain access to housing and public services ahead of South African citizens at a time when the country is dealing with urbanisation.
“Added to the dilemma of these people is massive internal urbanisation. We have all these squatter camps and they [foreigners] become first in the queue while there is somebody who has been in the backyard for years. They get services ahead of others.”
He further pointed to his recent trip to Zanzibar, where he was required to take a visitor insurance policy upon entry. He said adopting a similar model for South Africa could help ensure that non-citizens covered their own costs, rather than adding that financial burden on the country’s resources.
Godongwana advocated for a stricter immigration policy, including the deportation of undocumented migrants. He also called for an open discussion about the country’s immigration approach and service delivery, saying that the issue should not be labeled as xenophobic.
“We should not be saying the people who are debating are arguing from a xenophobic perspective. We’re not,” he said. “People must come to our country legally. The ones that are sitting here illegally, surely we should be sending them home.”
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