(Note to Editors: The following Debate was delivered during a Sitting of the KZN Legislature earlier today)
Today, the Democratic Alliance (DA) participates in this important Urgent Public Debate regarding ongoing public protests over the presence of illegal foreign nationals in South Africa – and the impact this has on the citizens of our province.
This matter is both urgent and deeply emotional for our people. I stand before you, not only as a representative within the National Council of Provinces (NCOP), but as a product of this province, a province that has entrusted us with leadership, with responsibility, and with the duty to act with clarity, not confusion; with courage, not populism.
The KZN Legislature sends delegates to the NCOP to ensure that the voices and concerns of provinces are heard at a national level. And I can assure you, the concerns we are debating here today are not isolated. They are echoed across many provinces, but in KZN, they are particularly acute.
What is not justified is turning that frustration into lawlessness. What is not justified is allowing communities to take the law into their own hands. Because once we cross that line, we replace one crisis with another.
South Africa is a constitutional democracy. The rule of law must remain supreme. We cannot fight illegality with illegality.
Today’s debate comes at a critical moment, a moment where South Africa is beginning to shift its trajectory. We are in a period of reform. And it is important that we acknowledge where progress is being made. Under the leadership of DA Home Affairs Minister, Dr Leon Schreiber, there is a clear and deliberate effort to restore order, integrity, and efficiency within our immigration system.
This includes:
• A renewed focus on digitisation to eliminate fraud and reduce human interference
• Stronger action against corruption within Home Affairs
• Expansion of services through partnerships with banks, bringing efficiency closer to citizens and;
• Critically, a push to strengthen border infrastructure and enforcement.
This week, significant reforms were announced by the Minister, including large-scale investment – more than R12billion – into modernising our border systems. This is not just about infrastructure. It is about restoring sovereignty. It is about ensuring that South Africa once again knows who enters, who exits, and who resides within its borders.
But let me be clear, reform takes time. Which is why KZN’s Legislature must play a constructive role.
Instead of inflaming tensions, we must guide our communities.
Instead of exploiting anger, we must channel it into solutions.
So, what must be done?
• We must support the strengthening of border security, not just in policy, but in budget allocations
• We must support the digitisation of immigration systems to close loopholes and reduce corruption
• We must ensure that law enforcement agencies are empowered to act decisively against illegal activity, fairly, lawfully, and consistently and;
• We must engage our communities honestly, acknowledging their concerns, but also reinforcing the rule of law.
This complex issue cannot be reduced to slogans and political point-scoring. KZN’s leaders within the Government of Provincial Unity (GPU) must rise to the level of leadership that this moment demands.
The rule of law must be restored, not replaced with mob justice. And South Africa and KZN must be an environment that is both secure and just.