President Cyril Ramaphosa on Wednesday met with religious and interfaith leaders at the Union Buildings in Pretoria to discuss migration and the National Dialogue, as government continues to implement a comprehensive approach to migration management.
The meeting follows government's recent announcement of measures aimed at managing migration and comes amid growing public concern over illegal immigration.
This as South Africans have raised concerns about migration, and illegal immigration in particular.
President Ramaphosa noted that these concerns arise in conditions of persistently high unemployment, poverty and hardship, as well as in communities affected by crime, violence and corruption and increasing pressure on public services.
However, the President emphasised that illegal immigration is not the cause of South Africa's social and economic challenges.
“To tackle the challenges our country faces, we need faster and more inclusive growth, investment and the creation of jobs. We need to strengthen our efforts to tackle poverty and hunger. We must build safer communities by addressing the causes of crime, improving policing and ending corruption.
“Migration is not the cause of our problems, but it is something that we must manage constructively and collectively, always holding firm to our Constitutional principles and shared values,” he said.
President Ramaphosa called on religious and interfaith leaders to work with government and other social partners to ensure that frustration over migration does not lead to hatred or intolerance.
READ | Faith leaders urged to help shape SA’s migration response
“We must demonstrate that there is a better way to manage these genuine concerns – a way that builds cohesion in communities and strengthens the bonds between us,” President Ramaphosa said.
The President also highlighted the importance of the National Dialogue, saying both migration and the dialogue process touch on the values that bind South Africans together and the shared responsibility to build a better future.
He underscored the role of faith communities in ensuring the success and inclusivity of the National Dialogue.
“Faith communities are vital to this endeavour, for you reach into every village, township and suburb. The National Dialogue continues our proud tradition of coming together to confront our challenges, to build consensus and to chart a course for the future. At every defining moment in our history, we have found our way forward through dialogue with one another.
“The National Dialogue is a people-led process that unfolds from local dialogue to national gatherings, through which all South Africans are able to define a vision and plan for our country,” President Ramaphosa said.
The religious and interfaith leaders welcomed government's comprehensive approach to migration management, which is anchored on five pillars: the enforcement of migration laws, securing South Africa's borders, strengthening immigration systems, closing gaps in laws and policies, and working with sister African countries through diplomatic channels.
Among the issues raised by religious and interfaith leaders was the need to strengthen law enforcement's response to vigilantism, amplify government communication efforts, enhance diplomatic engagement and address the situation in Sherwood, Durban, in KwaZulu-Natal.
Government said the Department of Home Affairs has begun deportation proceedings through dedicated priority courts to accelerate the processing of Malawian nationals seeking to leave the country.
The intervention follows capacity challenges affecting the Malawian government's repatriation efforts. The Department of Social Development will also mobilise resources to provide relief assistance.
President Ramaphosa expressed appreciation to the religious and interfaith leaders for their contributions and inputs during the engagement. – SAnews.gov.za
