20/05/2026
There’s a fire in the streets, and the State seems to be taking it lightly, imagining it will fade on its own. But as things stand, the entire country is on the verge of burning, and if the State does not quench it now, the consequences that follow may take a decade to correct.
I hear the cry of the marchers in the streets, but I do not agree with the violence and hatred that seem to be driving parts of this movement against undocumented immigrants in our beloved country.
The world is watching, and the picture we are displaying is not a good one. The concerns people raise are valid, but violence overshadows the very problem we are trying to fix by creating another crisis that will further damage our already struggling economy.
Companies have already been leaving this country for various reasons, and we have not seen many replacements come in. Imagine what will happen if more leave, and those considering investing here begin to think twice because of instability and chaos.
My fellow South Africans, I believe we have misdirected our anger. The reason undocumented foreign nationals are able to enter and remain in this country illegally is because of failures within our own systems and leadership. The officials with the power to secure borders and enforce the law are the very people we seem to be leaving off the hook.
Perhaps this is why the problem continues to grow.
We must begin directing our anger toward the right people. Harassing random foreign nationals on the streets will not solve this crisis.
Are we seriously saying nobody knows where the drug lords operate? Nobody knows where prostitution rings and criminal syndicates are based? Why not direct the anger toward those places where real criminal activity is taking place instead of targeting ordinary foreign nationals trying to survive?
At the same time, if you are in this country illegally and you see the tension rising but still refuse to hand yourself over to authorities so that proper legal processes can take place, then understand that people are angry because laws are being broken. I do not support violence under any circumstances, and nobody deserves mob justice, but illegal immigration remains a legal issue that must be dealt with lawfully and urgently by the State.
To the government: intervene now before the entire country burns.