Uncontrolled immigration putting strain on Gauteng resources

25 September 2018

According to the findings of an investigation by a joint group of the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) and Gauteng Provincial Legislature (GPL) into the impact of migration on service delivery in Gauteng, 47% of international migrants settle in the City of Johannesburg without valid documentation.

This is placing a huge strain on the City’s infrastructure, as well as services such as Education and Healthcare. As a result, our schools are struggling to absorb the increasing number of applicants every year. It is estimated that Gauteng needs 142 new schools to deal with the current demand- a number which does not take into consideration the yearly influx of new learners into the province.

A visit by the joint group to the Charlotte Maxeke Academic Hospital revealed the dire impact that our porous borders is having on our province’s already crippled healthcare sector. The hospital is forced to house undocumented foreign patients that have nowhere to go when they are discharged at a cost of R4 500 a day. Most of these patients are also unable to pay their outstanding bills; in the 2017/18 financial year, the Charlotte Maxeke Academic Hospital had to write off R1 billion due to unsettled debt.

It is clear that South Africa can ill afford not to secure its borders as uncontrolled immigration is violating the rights of the ordinary residents of this province who have to compete for services. This problem has been compounded by the wide-spread corruption within the Department of Home Affairs which has led to a complete immigration system failure.

The ANC government is incapable of ensuring law and order, and rooting out corruption. They only care about enriching themselves and are incapable of managing the real problems which the Gauteng faces.

This is not what we were promised.

We need leadership and change capable of ensuring equal access to opportunities for all South Africans.

The DA will fight corruption, fix the police force to be honest and professional, create fair access to real and long-term jobs, secure our borders and speed up the delivery of basic services.

Statement issued by Charity Moyo, Spokesperson for the DA Gauteng Premier Campaign, 25 September 2017