SACP blames capitalism, exploitative employers for immigration crisis, condemns vigilantism

SACP blames capitalism, exploitative employers for immigration crisis, condemns vigilantism The SACP said while it agrees that South Africa cannot tolerate illegal immigration or corruption in its immigration system, the root of the crisis is not migrant workers, but rather capitalism, accusing some employers of deliberately exploiting the status of undocumented migrants to pay them low wages and undermine labour rights. The party believes that undocumented migration is inextricably linked to labour exploitation, adding that it strongly supports proposed labour inspections to penalise employers who break immigration and labour laws. The party welcomed President Cyril Ramaphosa's national address on migration, affirming that immigration enforcement remains strictly the duty of the State. While acknowledging legitimate public concerns about systemic issues, the SACP issued a strong warning against vigilantism, xenophobia, and the scapegoating of foreign nationals. The SACP said it supported the President's stance that immigration laws must only be enforced by authorised State institutions. The party strongly condemned mob vigilantism, street intimidation, and individuals demanding identity documents under the guise of "community concern". The SACP said such lawlessness endangers communities and undermines the rule of law. The party cautioned against narrowing the migration issue down to a security or policing problem. Echoing Ramaphosa's sentiment, they noted that illegal immigration is not the sole cause of South Africa's economic challenges. Instead, the SACP directed the focus to structural causes, mass unemployment and poverty, deindustrialisation and weak local production and the ongoing domination of the economy by monopoly capital. To address the challenges faced by poor, working-class communities, the SACP insists that migration must be part of a broader socioeconomic transformation programme. The party wants robust working-class solidarity to confront what it says are systemic failures, rather than turning documented and undocumented workers against each other. The SACP suggests the building of democratic, community-owned, and worker-controlled economic alternatives, such as cooperatives, buying clubs, and local procurement systems, and the expansion of public employment, land and agrarian transformation, and developing local manufacturing. Ties must be strengthened with the Southern African Development Community and the African Union to address the root causes of forced migration, the party adds. The SACP also wants government to ensure the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Migration collaborates with civil society, organised labour, and legitimate community structures.