Eastern Cape Education MEC Fundile Gade has issued a stark warning that ongoing failure to address undocumented immigration could lead to South Africa’s demise, as anti-migrant protests continue to gain momentum across the country.
Speaking to the Daily Dispatch newspaper and in subsequent broadcast remarks, Gade said undocumented learners are not accounted for in government budgets, placing unsustainable strain on already limited public resources.
The MEC pointed to a court order in the Eastern Cape that directed schools to admit undocumented learners. He explained that because these children are not part of budgetary patterns, “that undocumented learner does not have a teacher in that school, does not have a resource allocated to that particular individual learner,” including textbooks, desks, or school nutrition programs.
“You are then constraining the meager resources that government is trying by all means to serve the people of this country,” Gade said.
He warned that ignoring the issue could result in security threats, noting that “once you have got faceless citizenry, you run a risk of being unable to track and look after the people that might be involved in one or another crimes that are happening.”
Gade described the situation as a “structured, systemic and pandemic problem” requiring a coherent government approach. He cautioned that rising demand for social services could heighten tensions, particularly among vulnerable, poor, marginalized communities where “people must choose between a living wage and other necessities.”
Responding to questions about the African National Congress’s (ANC) role amid the protests, Gade insisted the party remains alive to the issues, though he acknowledged leadership requires “agility” and “an eye and an ear on the ground.”
On the Economic Freedom Fighters leader’s stance rejecting votes from those who beat up fellow African nationals, Gade said two wrongs do not make a right. However, he added that the EFF leader’s position “is to undermine the plight of the people on the basis of an intention that at a particular time we will have a solidified united African state which is not there now.”
“You are talking of an immediate crisis here which needed to be resolved not tomorrow, now,” Gade said.