Jacinta Ngobese Slams Julius Malema’s Call to Document Undocumented Migrants, SA Debates Her Stance

• March and March leader Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma responded to Julius Malema's idea to document undocumented migrants
• The Economic Freedom Fighters leader made the proposal following the deaths of nine women in Ekuhuleni in nine weeks
• South Africans were divided over Ngobese-Zuma's response, with some backing her and others arguing against her view

Byron Pillay, a Briefly News journalist, has dedicated a decade to reporting on the South African political landscape, crime, and social issues. He worked as a newspaper journalist for 10 years before transitioning to online.

GAUTENG — March and March leader Jacinta Ngobese has publicly rejected Julius Malema's proposal to document undocumented migrants as a tool for combating crime.

Malema put forward his documentation proposal in the wake of the murders of women in Ekurhuleni, arguing that registering undocumented migrants would allow the state to capture identities, last known addresses, and countries of origin.

He added that existing extradition arrangements could then be used to return suspects to South Africa should they flee across borders after committing crimes.

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Ngobese argues that migrants choose to stay off the record

Taking to X, Ngobese disputed the logic behind the proposal outright.

"Imagine thinking you will solve crime by documenting criminals and having their fingerprints on the system," she wrote.

"If they wanted to be documented, they would've followed the correct process to be documented in the first place," she stated.

How did South Africans react?

Her post drew significant engagement, with South Africans offering sharply contrasting views on both the proposal and her argument.

@moruno179 argued that documentation had already been tried in other countries:

"The illegal immigration problem is not only in SA; even in the USA and other parts of the world, they experience the same. And they have done the same by documenting everyone."

@sboK_mn62660 accused Ngobese of misrepresenting the situation, writing:

"You are lying. They do want to be documented, but it's a long process. The problem is you think you know more than all of us while you talk nonsense."

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@Blacksh90139340 pointed to corruption within the Department of Home Affairs as a contributing factor:

"The majority of them actually followed the process; however, the extortionists in Home Affairs offices made sure they don't get papers. Things are not as straightforward as you want to claim or make."

@ts_thandi6189 backed Ngobese's position:

"And if they wanted to be documented, they should have come into the country documented. Those people know what they are here to do."

@NtshephiK took a harder line against Malema's broader credibility on the issue:

"If they wanted to be good people, they were not going to do the evil things they are doing. President Malema must never tell us anything, not this time around. These people are committed to killing, stealing and all sorts of indiscipline."

Source: Briefly News