XOLISILE NGUMBELA | Scapegoating migrants will not safeguard SA’s future

SA is angry, and rightly so.

Every morning, millions of young people wake up with no job prospects at all.

Communities deal with failing government services, crumbling infrastructure, intermittent power outages, escalating food costs and growing insecurity.

Democracy’s promise of a better life seems farther off to many folks.

Societies frequently look for someone to blame during difficult economic times.

Foreigners, especially African migrants, are being held accountable in SA.

A perilous narrative has spread from political platforms to social media campaigns and neighbourhood demonstrations, with a false notion that by expelling foreigners, SA will all of a sudden boost employment, lessen poverty and revive the economy.

Because it seems to provides a straightforward solution to a challenging issue, it is a compelling argument.

Sadly, it’s also incorrect and is bad for pan-Africanism and attempts to unite Africa at large.

The unsettling reality is that deporting migrants won’t fix SA’s crisis since they weren’t the cause of it in the first place.

SA has among the highest rates of youth unemployment worldwide.

More than 50% of young individuals who seek employment are unable to find it.

However, the crossing of the Limpopo River was not the start of this catastrophe.

Decades of economic stagnation, unclear policies, inadequate education, sluggish industrial growth, state failure, corruption and a continuous incapacity to generate jobs at the scale needed by an expanding population are some of the main causes.

The true question is straightforward, would Eskom suddenly run smoothly if all foreigners left SA tomorrow?

Would local governments start fixing roads and providing clean water?

Would investors suddenly pour money into the nation?

Would industries grow and take in millions of young people without jobs?

The answer is obvious.

Migrant entrepreneurs run companies that support local supply chains, generate economic activity and assist communities in townships, informal settlements and metropolitan areas.

They support local economies, hire people, pay rent and purchase items from South African wholesalers.

Their existence is a tale of economic involvement as well as competitiveness.

The idea that immigrants just “take jobs” misses an important point: when people produce, consume, invest and innovate, economies expand.

In addition to being employees, migrants are also local customers, business owners, taxpayers and investors.

Above all, South Africans need to be aware of their own past.

African nations welcomed South African exiles within their borders during the worst of apartheid.

Liberation warriors and political activists found refuge in nations like Zambia, Tanzania, Angola, Mozambique, and others.

While most of the world kept silent, African countries stood in solidarity with South Africans.

As a result of programmes like the African Continental Free Trade Area, SA now gains from being a part of a continent that is actively seeking economic unification.

Co-operation, mobility, trade and shared wealth are critical to Africa’s future.

It cannot be based on animosity toward other Africans who are looking for chances, security, or a better life.

Once more, I repeat myself without fear or favour that “No African is illegal in Africa” is hardly a defence of unrestricted open borders.

Instead, it is a rejection of the dehumanisation that frequently accompanies discussions about migration.

It serves as a reminder that Africans have a shared past and future.

Above all, it compels us to face SA’s actual problem: economic expansion.

Regardless of immigration policy, unemployment will stay high in the absence of consistent economic growth.

Businesses cannot grow without investment.

Young people will continue to struggle to participate in a constantly evolving economy if they do not receive high-quality education and skills development.

Economic opportunity will continue to be undermined by service delivery failures in the absence of competent governance.

A politics of exclusion is not necessary in SA. A politics of progress is required.

The nation requires policies that promote investment, assist businesses, update infrastructure, enhance educational results and provide young people with career pathways.

It requires leaders who are prepared to combat corruption, fortify institutions and boost economic confidence.

These are the policies that generate employment.

These are the policies that lessen poverty.

While scapegoating migrants may garner political support and publicity, it does not lead to economic expansion that will be able to absorb all the unemployed of our beloved country SA.

History tells us that nations seldom use external blame to resolve their issues.

Innovation, inclusivity and strong leadership are the foundations of prosperous civilizations.

Instead of looking for convenient foes, they face structural challenges.

Deportation campaigns and anti-immigrant rhetoric will not safeguard SA’s future.

It will be protected by investing in youth, creating opportunities where none currently exist, and developing an economy that can produce sustainable growth.

In Africa, no African is unlawful. The immigrant operating a tiny company in a township or selling vegetables on a street corner is not the true adversary.

Unemployment, inequality, corruption, bad government and economic stagnation are the true adversaries.

Eliminating foreigners won’t make much of a difference until we face those truths.

Who is entering our country is not the issue.

Our inability to develop an economy that benefits everyone is the issue.