Jacob Zuma’s comments on foreign nationals spark debate online

Former president Jacob Zuma has sparked debate online after making remarks about foreign nationals at the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party’s final election rally in KwaMashu, Durban.

Speaking to thousands of supporters at Princess Magogo Stadium, Zuma said some foreign nationals had been living in South Africa for many years, prompting mixed reactions on social media.

“Ngeke sibaxoshe abantu, abanye sebehlale iminyaka ngeminyaka,” he said, meaning, “We will not chase people away, some have stayed for years and years.”

The remarks, made during his first public appearance after spending 11 days in hospital, have since circulated on Facebook, where users have debated what he meant and how his comments align with the party’s position on immigration.

Social media divided over Zuma’s remarks

Reactions to the clip have been mixed, with some social media users defending Zuma’s comments.

Some argued that he was referring to people who had lived legally in South Africa for years, distinguishing them from undocumented foreign nationals.

Others expressed disappointment, saying they had expected the MK Party to adopt a tougher position on foreign nationals.

The comments also prompted questions about the relationship between the party and the March and March movement, which has campaigned against illegal immigration.

Some users questioned how the movement would respond to Zuma’s remarks, while others called on it to consider entering politics.

There has been no official response from March and March leader Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma to the comments, according to the reports cited in the original article.

MK Party recently backed March and March

The debate follows the MK Party’s public show of support for March and March just days earlier.

On Friday, 30 October, the party issued a statement titled uMkhonto weSizwe Party affirms March and March’s right to protest, which was also shared on its official Facebook page.

The statement criticised an interim Durban High Court interdict restricting March and March protests in parts of the Durban central business district.

The party described the court order as “judicial overreach” and argued that it infringed on the constitutional right to protest.

It also called on its members to gather outside the Durban High Court in solidarity with movement leader Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma, who appeared in court alongside other leaders.

MK Party provincial elections spokesperson Mkhuseli Mlengane said the proceedings had raised concerns about citizens’ rights to assemble, demonstrate and express grievances peacefully.

The party maintained that the right to protest was a fundamental democratic freedom that should be protected.

Party’s position draws renewed attention

The MK Party’s statement, signed by national spokesperson Sifiso Mahlangu, also called on the Government of National Unity to stop what it described as an attack on March and March. It further criticised the deployment of more than 500 soldiers in KwaZulu-Natal.

The party’s support for the movement had attracted praise from some social media users. Zuma’s subsequent remarks about foreign nationals have now prompted questions about how the two positions fit together.

Zuma’s office had previously said his comments about foreign nationals should be understood in the context of grace and legality.

However, the MK Party has not issued an official statement clarifying his latest remarks.

For now, the comments continue to fuel online debate about immigration, the treatment of foreign nationals and the political positions of parties and movements campaigning on these issues.