'We're Tired of Carrying Africa': South African Entrepreneur Defends Anti-Illegal Immigration Campaign

A South Africa-based entrepreneur, Katlego Thobane, has defended the country's growing anti-illegal immigration campaign, insisting that many South Africans are demanding a functioning system rather than expressing hatred towards foreign nationals.

Speaking in an exclusive interview on Bonny FM's flagship morning programme, Let's Talk, Thobane said frustrations over undocumented migrants stem from years of government failure to enforce immigration laws, leaving citizens to bear what she described as the social and economic burden of illegal migration.

Her comments come amid renewed protests in parts of South Africa, where anti-immigration groups have intensified calls for undocumented migrants to leave the country, blaming them for increased pressure on healthcare, education, employment and other public services.

Rejecting claims that the campaign is driven by xenophobia, Thobane maintained that South Africans simply want a country that functions effectively.

"We want a country that functions and we want foreigners that respect the law. We don't want to be taken advantage of. We're tired of carrying the whole of Africa," she said.

According to her, undocumented or illegal migrants place unexpected burden and pressure on public resources because they benefit from services that were never budgeted to accommodate them.

"When the budget of the country comes out, you are not included because you are not ‘part of the country,’" she added.

While acknowledging that the South African government had failed to properly enforce immigration laws, Thobane said years of inaction had left many citizens frustrated.

"I feel our government is failing us, so we are taking the laws into our own hands. Hence, we are dealing with it in the manner we are dealing with it. We are holding them accountable, hence we are acting. If we are not holding them accountable, we are just going to sit down and say the government needs to deal with it. So we are saying there is a shutdown, because they are ignoring our cries. They are ignoring our pleas. So let us deal with what we feel is the root cause,” she said.

The interview also explored whether South Africa's anger is being directed at the wrong target. It was argued that if undocumented migrants are able to survive and even thrive within the country's economy, the greater responsibility rests with government institutions responsible for border control and immigration enforcement.

Responding, Thobane agreed that the South African government had failed but insisted that citizens could no longer afford to wait for political leaders to act.

The conversation took another turn when the issue of employment was raised. Reacting to claims that many employers prefer hiring foreign nationals because of their work ethic, Thobane argued that South Africans are not lazy, but are rather unwilling to overwork themselves simply to prove their value.

"We do what we have to do. You give me the bare minimum, I give you the bare minimum. Don’t expect me to go overboard," she said.

She made a contrast with what she described as the tendency of many foreign workers to "overcompensate" in order to secure employment:

“And I think this is where the difference is between ourselves and foreigners, is that they go beyond wanting to impress. We are not here to impress. I'm here to do my job. I'm doing my job. I'm going to give you the minimum that I have to do, and I'm going to leave the office and go back to my functioning life. 

And I think this is why we are part of the healed, better country. Because we are healed. We are conscious. We are there on mental health. And you on the other side, or most African countries don't even care about your mental health. You'll overwork yourself morning, night, and you'll just be working, working, working. For what? We believe in taking time off. We believe we've got our responsibilities to make sure that we are whole.”

Although critical of undocumented migration, Thobane repeatedly stressed that her concerns were directed at illegal immigrants rather than foreigners who entered South Africa through legal channels.