In a televised debate that has reignited one of South Africa’s most contentious issues, ANC Secretary General Fikile Mbalula declared that the country must “ship out” undocumented immigrants to protect its citizens and economy, advocating for significantly tougher border controls and stricter immigration laws.
The comments were made during a spirited and often tense exchange on Power FM’s Power Talk with EFF spokesperson Dr. Mbuyiseni Ndlozi on Thursday, 6 November 2025. Mbalula’s uncompromising language marks a significant hardening of rhetoric from a senior figure in the ruling party and signals a potential shift in the ANC’s approach to a crisis that is increasingly dominating public discourse.
“No Proud Nation Allows This”: Mbalula’s Justification
Articulating a position that resonates with a growing segment of the South African populace, Mbalula framed the issue as one of national sovereignty and law enforcement. He pointed to specific urban areas, notably the Johannesburg inner-city neighborhood of Hillbrow, as stark examples of the problem.
“We have buildings in Hillbrow that have been completely taken over by people who are in this country illegally,” Mbalula stated. “These are hubs for drug dealing and other criminal activities that make life unbearable for lawful residents and citizens. We must ship them out. No proud nation allows for lawlessness within its borders.”
He argued that the current system places an unsustainable strain on the country’s already stretched public services, from healthcare and education to housing, and exacerbates unemployment. “Our first responsibility is to the citizens of South Africa,” he emphasized. “We need firm laws and better border checks to regain control.”
A Clash of Ideologies on Air
The debate with Dr. Ndlozi highlighted the deep ideological divide on the issue. Ndlozi countered Mbalula’s arguments, characterizing them as xenophobic and a dangerous oversimplification of a complex socio-economic challenge. He accused the ANC of scapegoating vulnerable foreign nationals for its own failures in governance, economic management, and crime prevention.
“This kind of rhetoric is not a solution; it is a diversion,” Ndlozi argued. “It is the failure of the ANC to create jobs and provide safety that is the real problem, not the presence of our African brothers and sisters. You are feeding a narrative that has led to violence in the past.”
The Broader Context and Political Calculus
Mbalula’s comments do not emerge in a vacuum. South Africa is grappling with estimates of millions of undocumented migrants, and public frustration has periodically boiled over into anti-immigrant violence. His hardline stance is seen by political analysts as a direct appeal to this voter frustration, particularly with local government elections on the horizon.
It also places the ANC in a more aligned position with the opposition Democratic Alliance, which has long campaigned on stricter border security, while creating clear blue water between itself and the EFF’s pan-Africanist stance.
The national conversation, now supercharged by Mbalula’s prominent platform, is set to intensify. As the government faces pressure to act, the challenge will be to address legitimate public concerns over crime and service delivery without inflaming social tensions or violating international human rights protocols. The call to “ship out” illegal immigrants is a potent soundbite, but the path to a just and effective immigration policy remains fraught with complexity.
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