EFF's Sinawo Thambo Accuses SAPS of Banning Foreign Nationals From Parliament Village

• EFF MP Sinawo Thambo alleged that SAPS officers stationed at Parliament Village in Cape Town were turning away foreign nationals, even those with valid documentation
• Thambo linked the reported police conduct to a broader pattern of state-endorsed xenophobia amid ongoing anti-immigration unrest across South Africa
• Social media users were divided, with some defending the restrictions as a matter of national security and others agreeing that documented foreigners were being unlawfully excluded

PARLIAMENT, WESTERN CAPE— Economic Freedom Fighters spokesperson and Member of Parliament Sinawo Thambo has accused the South African Police Service of enforcing an unofficial blanket ban on foreign nationals entering Parliament Villages in Cape Town, regardless of whether those individuals hold valid documentation.

Thambo made the allegation in a post published on X on 10 July 2026, stating that police stationed at the parliamentary residential complex were refusing entry to any person who is not a South African citizen.

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SAPS accused of enforcing unofficial ban

According to Thambo, the restriction applies even to foreign nationals who are legally present in the country, with no exceptions made for valid permits or documentation. He argued that the conduct amounted to institutionalised discrimination and reflected a broader disposition within the state that normalises the abuse of foreign nationals.

"The South African state is fully backing xenophobia, and there is no greater expression of this than when police practice discrimination," Thambo wrote.

He added that the situation emboldened those who were forcibly removing foreigners from their homes without consequence. Thambo also raised the question of whether foreign diplomats would face the same restrictions when seeking access to Parliament, which is currently in recess.

His remarks come against the backdrop of sustained anti-immigration unrest in South Africa. Organisations including March and March have led nationwide protests targeting undocumented immigrants, and there have been documented incidents of both documented and undocumented foreign nationals being forcibly removed from homes in various parts of the country.

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Read Thambo's post that sparked the debate:

Public divided over Parliament Village restrictions

The post drew a sharp split in responses online.

Some users supported Thambo's position, with @19aa63f0319b42f writing:

"It's true. I agree with you. The police are actually escorting those who vandalise and break into Businesses. They just watch. Just recently in Port Elizabeth, protesters went to a very BIG hospital and chased all white doctors and nurses, then looted medicines and equipment."

Others pushed back firmly. @lebuza25 wrote:

"I hope EFF doesn't get any votes from South Africans in the upcoming LGE. What you are complaining about here doesn't even require one to have a degree, but to use common sense. State security is important to any nation."

@ntakontsho offered a similar view, arguing:

"In a sober sense, they are protecting your social well-being. You never know who is going to spy on you, hence the restrictions. I totally agree with them on this one."

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@KhotsiALutendo challenged the logic behind Thambo's argument directly:

"This analogy is far-fetched. By your logic, any law that grants exclusive rights or benefits to South African citizens would be evidence of systematic xenophobia. That simply doesn't follow."

@MaxNomaNini took a political angle, posting:

"Patriots, please remember we deal with these on the 4th of November and in 2026."

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In a related article, Briefly News reported on a South African Police Service officer facing investigation for calling on undocumented foreign nationals to leave the country in a viral video. This incident has sparked mixed reactions from the public, with some supporting the officer's stance while others express concerns over the potential consequences of his remarks.

Source: Briefly News