Dr Makhosi Khoza, left, with Abantu Batho Congress party leader Philani ‘PG’ Mavundla. | Facebook
South Africa’s porous borders and the free-for-all approach of accommodating immigrants have resulted in native South Africans being ‘short-changed’ by the government, according to former ANC MP Makhosi Khoza.
Khoza, who is the leader of the Abantu Batho Congress which is in coalition with the ANC in KwaZulu-Natal, has questioned how the KZN CoGTA (Cooperative Governance & Traditional Affairs Department) has an acting HoD who is from Zimbabwe, when the position she is occupying does not require scarce skills.
She said only immigrants with rare and scarce skills should be accommodated by government, while those without these skills should not be allowed to occupy positions in government departments.
She was speaking in Durban where her new political party was announcing plans for its upcoming manifesto launch on Saturday.
She said while she was studying for her A levels in Zimbabwe, South Africans were monitored and not allowed to mix with the local people there.
“I went to do my A levels in Zimbabwe... Today even an acting HOD at CoGTA without a scarce skill is a Zimbabwean. The division of revenue is being run by Zimbabweans. Even Public Works is being run by a Zimbabwean. I was in Zimbabwe. I studied there.
“Every three months there used to be a police van coming to fetch me for my tests because they saw me as a risk for TB as someone from South Africa. Even people who were in exile they lived in refugee camps and not allowed to mix willy nilly with the people of Zimbabwe,” she said.
Last month, her sentiments were echoed by Minister of Home Affairs Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, who questioned the employment of Kwadukashe Mpofu in the finance department of the North West government department without proper documentation.
The minister said Mpofu’s employment was an embarrassment to the country after it emerged that he has been fighting with Department of Home Affairs over his potential deportation back to Zimbabwe following allegations that he obtained a permanent residence permit fraudulently.
Khoza said the South African government must be strict in how it allows immigrants into the country.
“During our time it was strict... It was not a free for all like it is in this country. Basically, the way things are happening here in South Africa is not right. You can see there are no opportunities. South Africa wants to play God and accommodate the whole of Africa while its citizens suffer. These corrupt African leaders are now outsourcing economic opportunities from us.
“We must accommodate those people while side-lining our own people. There is nothing wrong with employing someone with a scarce skill. The reality in this country is that its natives are being short-changed by the government,” she said.
The Star