Siv Ngesi Joins Border Debate, Says Wanting Correct Paperwork Isn’t Xenophobia: “Don’t Bully Us”

• Siv Ngesi shared his thoughts on the recent xenophobic attacks in South Africa, saying he was not in support of them
• Following the latest marches against illegal foreigners, the media personality declared his stance and sparked a heated debate on social media
• While many followers and supporters praised him for speaking out, others continued to question his opinions

Siv Ngesi has sparked a massive social media firestorm after firmly condemning the recent wave of xenophobic attacks sweeping across South Africa.

Following the tense March and March protests on 29 April 2026 in Johannesburg, where Nkosikhona Ndabandaba disciplined a South African protester after attacking a foreign national, Siv Ngesi took to X (formerly Twitter) to declare that he is "not in support" of the violence and hostility directed at foreign nationals; however, he emphasised that they shouldn't "try to bully us."

"Dear South Africans, yes, xenophobia is not right, but these guys mustn’t try to bully us!"

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Siv pointed out that the real outcry from many citizens is for a system where foreigners enter the country legally and with all the necessary paperwork in place. He noted that the real issue isn't hatred toward outsiders, but rather a desire for a system in which everyone enters the country through the right channels; a stance he believes is perfectly reasonable and not xenophobic at all.

"Wanting the correct paperwork isn't xenophobia," he noted, adding, "I am not justifying killing or hurting people. I said we want the right paperwork."

His message echoes fellow entertainer Oscar MBO's earlier stance on illegal immigrants, where he shared his own experiences with international travel to argue for stricter border control.

Oscar went viral for pointing out that nations like Nigeria enforce strict security protocols and long visa processes to protect their citizens, questioning why South Africa does not apply the same level of scrutiny.

Read Siv Ngesi's posts below.

Social media reacts to Siv Ngesi's rant

While many in the comment section supported Siv Ngesi's stance, others accused him of hating his own people. A handful of people in the comment section claimed that his stance was only directed at black foreigners.

iamjustalffie said:

"SMH! I bet you don't think like this when it comes to white people. So this justifies beating people up, chasing their children out of school, and demanding the sick out of the hospital? But you do you. It's good you've shown who exactly you are and how we should treat you."

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LiteTakunda wrote:

"On scales and reason, it would be sensible to ask anyone who isn’t black to produce their paperwork, but ey, y’all got the eye on blacks."

Kanyisa_021 argued:

"Complaining online vs. sjamboking people on the streets because they don't speak a local language are too vastly different things, Sivuyile. Vigilantism is only reserved for black people. I dare you and Ngizwe to go to Camps Bay carrying sjamboks and ask for travel documents."

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Source: Briefly News