Government and a delegation led by the Zulu King’s chancellor have agreed to work together on migration concerns, following talks with the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Migration in Pretoria on Monday.
Justice and Constitutional Development Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi, who chairs the committee, outlined the outcome at a media briefing after the meeting, according to SAnews, the government news agency.
The delegation was led by iNkosi Malusi Zondi and included civil society and business representatives. The talks followed marches to Home Affairs offices over immigration enforcement.
Kubayi said the delegation supported cooperation with government and had distinguished its concerns about unlawful migration from opposition to migrants who live and work legally in South Africa.
Building programme predates the meeting
Monday’s discussion also covered cooperation on state-owned buildings occupied unlawfully. Kubayi said legal representatives had been appointed to assist with the processes required to recover them.
This is not the start of government’s work on the issue. In September, the committee had already outlined a programme addressing non-compliant buildings across metropolitan municipalities.
That earlier programme included developing a funding model for temporary emergency accommodation, prioritising building-related court matters and creating a common definition and reporting system. The September account identified accommodation funding as a constraint on carrying out court orders.
The new development is the agreement to collaborate with the delegation and other interested parties. The Monday report did not set out a timetable for that cooperation, announce completed building recoveries or describe a new law.
Kubayi also urged the public to check the accuracy and sources of information shared about migration-related court decisions.
