SA politicians also weaponise migration

South Africa must rid itself of issues that prevent a fair, rights-based approach to people's mobility

- Leleti Maluleke

Headlines in recent weeks have been dominated by the meeting between President Cyril Ramaphosa and Donald Trump, after the US president granted asylum to white South African farmers.

Framed by Trump as a response to alleged land seizures and violence, the move has been widely criticised as a politically motivated gesture aimed at energising his conservative base ahead of the US mid-term elections.

This culminated in a televised version of what Trump might conceive of as version two of The Apprentice in the Oval Office. Despite the ambush, the South African delegation held its ground and demonstrated that white farmers are hardly at disproportionate risk in the country. Many find Trump's politicking distasteful in the context of having essentially characterised other asylum-seekers to the US as criminals or illegal migrants.

As much as Trump's reality-TV delusions persist, this moment presents an opportunity for introspection, given South Africa's own issues with immigration. While the United States faces scrutiny for the politicisation of asylum, South African politicians have similarly weaponised migration to serve populist agendas.

South Africa stands at the centre of intricate migration dynamics that continue to shape its socio-economic landscape, development trajectory, and national security concerns. As one of the continent's most industrialised economies, South Africa has long been a destination for migrants, asylum seekers, and refugees from across Africa.

In a bid to intensify efforts against illegal immigration, Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber recently launched Operation New Broom, a nationwide, technology-driven initiative aimed at identifying, arresting and deporting undocumented foreign nationals, particularly those occupying public spaces.