ANC Youth League president Collen Malatji has sent a stern message to Home Affairs Minister  Leon Schreiber, urging him to “pull up his socks” and tackle unchecked illegal immigration and deep-rooted corruption within the department.

Malatji made the remarks during a media briefing at Luthuli House on Wednesday morning. 

The event addressed key challenges affecting South African youth, including unemployment, rampant crime, gender-based violence, food safety, and the regulation of spaza shops.

The briefing also marked the launch of the Youth League’s historic discussion documents ahead of its upcoming 2nd National General Council (NGC), and provided an update on preparations for the gathering.

“The discussion documents we are launching today are designed to provoke thoughts and inspire solutions on the economy, on education, on social transformation, and on the fight for a truly equal society, on immigration and border management,” Malatji said.

He said the youth league is committed to international solidarity with oppressed people worldwide, but warned that such solidarity should not compromise South Africa’s stability.

“We are clear – only documented immigrants must be permitted in South Africa. Uncontrolled and illegal immigration places an unsustainable burden on our communities, on the health system, on education, and most importantly, on the labour market where young South Africans are already struggling to find work,” he said.

Malatji called on Schreiber to urgently address both uncontrolled illegal immigration and corruption within the department.

“We therefore call on the Department of Home Affairs to pull up their socks,” he said. 

“The department must fix inefficiencies and stop corruption in the issuing of documents, and act firmly against those who undermine immigration laws.”

He also called for the strengthening of borders through the use of modern systems and technologies, to protect South Africa’s sovereignty.

Schreiber, a member of the Democratic Alliance, the second-largest party in the Government of National Unity (GNU), assumed the role of Minister of Home Affairs in July 2024. 

His appointment followed the ANC’s failure to secure a majority in the May general elections, which led to the formation of a coalition government with parties including the DA, FF Plus, Patriotic Alliance, IFP, PAC, Rise Mzansi, and Good Party, among others.

Schreiber succeeded ANC minister Aaron Motsoaledi, with the ANC’s Njabulo Nzuza appointed as his deputy.

Malatji dismissed the suggestion that Schreiber should be given more time due to being new in the position.

“When there’s a new minister, he takes the responsibility for everything – the good and the bad,” Malatji said.

“We are saying to the Minister of Home Affairs: urgently take responsibility and fight the corruption that is taking place in Home Affairs. It’s known corruption. 

“I wonder what is happening in Germiston Home Affairs now that it has burned down. I am sure corruption is now on steroids – because there are no longer systems, people are getting IDs behind the boots outside in parking lots. 

Malatsi added, “Now I can imagine, if corruption happened in the building, what’s happening in the parking lots? It’s even worse – I’m sure there are new Nigerians now who are South Africans since the burning of Germiston Home Affairs.”

Exactly two weeks ago, the Germiston Home Affairs building was allegedly set alight by angry residents after being evicted from the Pharoe Park flats by the City of Ekurhuleni over non-payment issues. More than 400 tenants were removed from the flats.

Home Affairs has confirmed that no essential documents were damaged in the fire and said that mobile trucks will be sent to the area to offer continued services.

Malatji said longstanding corruption in the issuing of documents must be ended.

“We can’t allow this to continue. Including the hijacking of buildings – we can’t allow that towns like Boksburg, Germiston and Johannesburg are just taken over by foreigners who hijack buildings and nothing happens,” he said. 

“The law must be enforced. A major issue is the lack of law enforcement. If the law were enforced, some of these issues could be resolved.”

He further claimed undocumented immigrants were placing heavy pressure on the country’s health and education systems.

“If you stay in South Africa and go to a public service, you know that illegal foreigners are heavily burdening the system. Due to our human rights frameworks, you can’t turn people away when they need help – it would be inhumane – but they are straining the system, which is budgeted for people who are counted in this country,” Malatji said.

“If we have counted 64 million people and 20 million are school-going children, we budget for those numbers. Now if someone enters illegally, they strain infrastructure that was never designed for them.”

He said more investment was urgently needed in public health and education, including building more schools.

“In some areas, the infrastructure is collapsing. We’ve seen videos circulating recently of young people still crossing rivers to attend school. It cannot be that 31 years into democracy, people still have to walk kilometres and cross dams, risking their lives to access education. These issues must be resolved.”

simon.majadibodu@iol.co.za

IOL Politics

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