Ronald Lamola the Minister of DIRCO was asked in America about the treatment of African immigrants in South Africa 🇿🇦 his answer took this conversation somewhere VERY different. Now, this was at the African Diaspora Forum in Washington, and Lamola was being questioned about the treatment of African migrants in South Africa.” “And I actually think there are THREE things in his answer that we need to unpack.” WHO ENFORCES THE LAW? “First, Lamola was very clear: if somebody is in South Africa illegally, immigration law must be enforced.” “But he made an important distinction enforcement is the government’s responsibility. Not ordinary people taking the law into their own hands.” “According to Lamola, 354 people had been arrested in connection with anti-migrant violence, with 103 cases before the courts and another 43 under investigation.” IS THIS ONLY SOUTH AFRICA’S PROBLEM?” “Then he took it one step further.” “He basically said: irregular migration is not just a South African problem. It’s a continental problem.” “And his argument was that African countries have to look at WHY people are leaving their own countries in the first place jobs, economic growth, governance and opportunities. Then he dropped THIS statistic,Lamola said around 12 million Africans enter the labour market every year but African economies create only around 3 million jobs. “His question was basically: what happens to the other 9 million?” “And THAT is where this conversation gets interesting.” “Because obviously South Africa has to control its borders and enforce its immigration laws.”but at the same time are we looking at immigration as the entire problem when there is also a much bigger problem of jobs, economic opportunity and development across the continent?” “Do you think South Africa can solve the immigration issue on its own?” “Or does Lamola have a point that African countries need to tackle the root causes together?” ( DIRCO,The Citizen,National Intrest News,AP News,The African Daily)#southafricatiktok🇿🇦 #immigration #SApolitics - @thobzaah