The president of the ANC Youth League, Collen Malatji, has sparked debate after accusing illegal foreign nationals of placing strain on South Africa’s public services, particularly hospitals.
Malatji, speaking on Wednesday, argued that uncontrolled migration was affecting key sectors such as health, education and the job market, where many young South Africans continue to face high unemployment.
He dismissed claims that his remarks were xenophobic, insisting that his concerns were based on the realities at public clinics and hospitals. “Illegal foreign nationals are heavy on our system. We budget for people in our country, but when someone enters illegally, that person is using infrastructure they were not budgeted for,” he said.
The youth leader also turned his attention to corruption at the Department of Home Affairs, singling out Germiston following a recent fire at its offices. He claimed corruption was worsening as officials allegedly issued IDs illegally outside official premises.
On the issue of service delivery, Malatji admitted that undocumented migrants were not the reason South Africa continued to struggle with backlogs in schools and hospitals. He criticised government for failing to deliver basic infrastructure even three decades into democracy.
“We still have young people crossing rivers to get to school, walking long distances, and facing dangers that should not exist 31 years after democracy,” he said.
While Malatji maintained that the ANC Youth League stood in solidarity with oppressed people across the continent, he stressed that such solidarity must not come at the expense of South Africans. He insisted that only documented migrants should be accepted in the country.
He also called for tighter border control, suggesting that new technology should be used to secure entry points and protect South Africa’s sovereignty.
His comments came shortly after EFF leader Julius Malema told supporters that Nigerian nationals and other Africans were not to blame for South Africa’s challenges, pointing instead to economic exploitation by big business and imperial powers.
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