IXAKE the government for jobs that can be done by people from other countries, who have fled to this country because of the wars as they need to make a living.
These people are in trouble because they cannot benefit from government grants, and there is a call not to open shops as there are protests against immigrants.
The chairperson of the group of ministers tasked to deal with immigrants in the country, Ms. Mmamoloko Kubayi, said the question is on their lips as to what jobs that do not require skills they can do as they need to survive.
“We don’t have employment centers for them, they can’t do any jobs that don’t require skills because there is a complaint from the people of this country. They can’t get grants and they are already spending money on opening shops, and they need to live. What will they live on, that’s what we’re asking ourselves?”
Ms Kubayi, who is the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development, said this yesterday while speaking at a workshop organized by the organization of the former vice president of the country Mr. Kgalema Motlanthe in Johannesburg.
He said they know the ongoing protests against immigration will continue until the elections in November.
“We expect the protests against immigration to continue until the local government elections. There are those who are using this issue to gain points in order to get votes in the elections,” he said. there are many politicians who have seen an opportunity to use this issue to get votes.
He said that they are a team of MECs looking at many things related to strengthening things at the borders such as the smuggling of stolen cars across the border, the smuggling of fake cigarettes and other things.
“We need R10 billion to fix things that affect borders in this country. There is a three-year plan to deal with border fixes including the use of technology to stop the problem of people breaking through.”
He said that 60,000 people have been sent back to their countries.
“There is a lot of work being done by different agencies regarding the issue of those who have escaped. We are at one of the borders entering the country, there were 13,000 people who were sent back to their country in one day, but on the other hand, there were about 3,000 who entered the country. They had documents to come to the country and we have no problem with those who enter the country in the right way.”
His colleague, the Minister of International Relations, Mr. Ronald Lamola, dismissed the claim that nothing is being done to arrest the smugglers.
He pointed out that some African leaders are asking him that they don’t see anyone being arrested for abusing immigrants.
“Many people have been arrested in different states on charges of intimidation, robbing immigrant shops, destroying property and robbery. I have also told the president of Ghana, Mr. John Dramani Mahama, who asked me that nothing is being done about the arrest of people who abused immigrants, that there are many arrested and we are not doing anything about this issue,” he said.
He warned that they will continue to arrest those who take the law into their own hands saying they want to see documents from immigrants. He is saying this to two Ghanaians who have submitted a proposal to the international court to prosecute the country for the abuse of immigrants.