Patrice Motsepe backs crackdown on illegal immigration, calls for African cooperation

According to IOL, Confederation of African Football (CAF) president Dr Patrice Motsepe has urged stronger action against illegal immigration in South Africa while emphasising the need for cooperation across Africa to address the economic causes of migration.

Remarks at CAF press conference

According to IOL, Motsepe made the comments during a CAF press conference in Johannesburg on Wednesday. He acknowledged public concern about unemployment and said those concerns were legitimate.

“(The) concern about our people not getting jobs is a legitimate concern. And we’ve got a duty to do that. And of course there’s also an equally legitimate concern when some of our businesses don’t employ South Africans but employ people from outside the continent because they are prepared to accept low wages. It’s wrong.”

Zero tolerance for illegality, he said

According to IOL, Motsepe said South Africa needed to address illegal migration while promoting cooperation among African countries. He said CAF would issue statements and that illegality could not be tolerated.

“But we will, you know, we have to do the right thing and educate our people and say to them that illegality will not be tolerated. And we will also, from a CAF, we will issue those statements.”

“We have to say we support the cooperation, the working together of Africans of the continent. We will not tolerate, we cannot support illegality. We cannot support illegal migration.”

Calls for job creation across the continent

According to IOL, Motsepe said African countries should work together to create economic opportunities and reduce the pressures that drive migration from rural areas to cities.

“If you don’t create jobs in Limpopo, you don’t create jobs in KwaZulu-Natal, you don’t create jobs in the Eastern Cape, people will leave the rural areas and come to the cities because they need jobs.”

Context

According to IOL, Motsepe’s comments come amid growing protests over illegal immigration and increased deportations and voluntary repatriations, including arrivals at the Musina Repatriation Centre in Limpopo. The article noted that some of those repatriated have returned to countries including Mozambique and Malawi, while others have reportedly been left stranded.