JOHANNESBURG - The Ahmed Kathrada Foundation warns that debates around illegal immigration are being used to mobilise public frustration for political gain ahead of the elections.
Neeshan Balton from the foundation said legislative reforms around reviews of the immigration act and policies have been underway for some time.
And so has modernising and rooting out corruption within home affairs, he added.
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He has warned against a national shutdown, saying the issue risks being exploited as an electoral tool rather than being addressed through long-term policy solutions.
“When such calls are made without specific details as to what essentially the shutdown entails, its vagueness allows it to be interpreted in the widest possible dimensions by its supporters and enforced in a way that might actually trample on or cross the boundaries of legality," Balton explains.
On June 30, several anti-illegal migration marches are expected to take place, with organisers calling for undocumented foreign nationals to leave the country.
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While anti-illegal migration march organisers have called for peace and calm on the day, there are concerns of a repeat of the 2021 July unrest.
Balton said lessons of July 2021 have been learned and hopes that efforts to contain the marches are in place.
“It really requires a broader base of leadership to ensure that the worst-case scenario doesn't happen, and the required dialogue that the country needs," he added.