Jacob Zuma Party Denounces Tribalism Amid Growing National Immigration Debate

Johannesburg - The uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MK Party) has issued a statement condemning a recent tribalistic rhetoric appearing on public platforms, instead asserting that the nation’s immigration challenges must be addressed through unity rather than ethnic division.

In a formal statement, the former South African President Jacob Zuma led party characterised illegal immigration as a critical national crisis that transcends provincial and linguistic boundaries, affecting all South Africans regardless of their background.

The party’s intervention comes at a time of heightened social pressure and rising unemployment, conditions that have historically preceded civil unrest in South Africa.

The MK Party noted that frustrations regarding the impact of illegal immigration on housing, jobs and basic services are well-documented across diverse townships, including Alexandra, Diepsloot and Khayelitsha.

The party referenced previous waves of violent protests in 2008, 2015 and 2019 saying the burden of the structural challenge falls most heavily on the poor and working class of all ethnic groups.

A central tenet of the party's statement was the rejection of the scapegoating of Zulu-speaking communities.

The MK Party argued that framing immigration as a tribal issue is a "cowardly" tactic that only serves to deepen divisions among those most affected by economic competition.

Instead, the party pointed to a deliberate failure by the current government and the Border Management Authority to effectively secure the nation's perimeters.

"The ANC government has also failed to respond decisively. Despite sustained public concern, the Border Management Authority remains under-capacitated, with limited resources and slow implementation weakening effective border management.

"Furthermore, parties such as the ANC, DA, and other so-called progressive parties supported the Immigration Amendment Act, 2025, which makes detaining and deporting illegal immigrants harder by  requiring the state to fund their legal representation, adding further strain to South Africa’s already overburdened resources," the party said in the statement. 

According to the MK Party, the current system is a modern extension of colonial-era cheap labor practices that benefit white monopoly capital by suppressing the wages of ordinary South African citizens.

"This system primarily benefits white monopoly capital by placing downward pressure on salaries and wages of ordinary South Africans," the statement read. 

Reaffirming its commitment to a united South Africa, the MK Party called on the public to reject divisive rhetoric and focus on lawful immigration management.

The party maintains that social cohesion and the protection of domestic economic interests are essential for the broader struggle for economic freedom and national liberation.

South Africa has experienced periodic waves of xenophobic violence and social unrest linked to immigration since the end of apartheid.

Major incidents in 2008 resulted in over 60 deaths and the displacement of tens of thousands, with subsequent outbreaks in 2015 and 2019 centered in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal.

The uMkhonto weSizwe Party, emerged as a significant political force in the 2024 general elections, frequently positioning itself against the governing ANC on issues of border security and economic transformation.