By Akani Nkuna
Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia has called for calm amid escalating anti-migrant protests in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, urging demonstrators to respect the rule of law while raising concerns about illegal immigration.
Speaking to the media in Durban on Friday, Cachalia acknowledged that illegal immigration placed pressure on public services but said concerns had to be addressed within the Constitution and South Africa’s international obligations.
“Our people have entirely legitimate rights to protest, and our people’s grievances about illegal immigration are entirely well founded,” he said.
“It is not acceptable perhaps to have the numbers of illegal immigrants in our country, especially at a time when our people feel pressures with respect to service delivery, poverty, unemployment and lack of service delivery.”
Cachalia said perceptions that the rights of undocumented foreign nationals were being prioritised over those of South African citizens had fuelled frustration.
He said the government was
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