Chikunga Calls for Secure Borders and Humane Migration Policies

Chikunga affirmed South Africa’s right and responsibility to secure its borders and enforce immigration laws, while stressing that enforcement needs to take place through lawful and fair procedures.

South Africa needs an approach to migration that protects its borders and enforces immigration laws without sacrificing human dignity, Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities Sindisiwe Chikunga has said, calling for lawful migration management that also protects foreign nationals and vulnerable people from exploitation and abuse.

Chikunga delivered the message during the Gertrude Ntiti Shope Memorial Lecture at Freedom Park in Pretoria, where she used the life of the late liberation struggle stalwart to explore migration, solidarity and the treatment of people who cross borders in search of safety or opportunity. She said South Africa's own history provides an important context for the debate because migration and migrant labour were used during apartheid as tools of exploitation, domination and subordination.

Migration Pressures Require Order Without Losing Human Dignity

War, political instability, poverty, inequality, persecution and environmental disasters are among the forces pushing people to leave their homes and cross national borders, Chikunga said, describing migration as one of the major challenges facing societies today. These movements can place pressure on governments and communities when migration systems are poorly managed, particularly around border governance, employment and access to public services.

The Minister acknowledged that communities can have legitimate concerns about how migration is managed, while cautioning against placing responsibility for wider social and economic difficulties on foreign nationals. Her remarks stressed the need to separate concerns about immigration policy from actions that target individuals based on their nationality or migration status.

Gertrude Ntiti Shope's years living and working in several countries during exile were presented as a reminder of the importance of international solidarity and humane treatment, particularly for people forced to rebuild their lives away from home.

Vulnerable Migrants Face Greater Risks of Abuse

Women, children, older people, persons with disabilities, refugees and victims of human trafficking can face particularly serious risks when migration systems fail to provide adequate safeguards, according to Chikunga. Their circumstances can expose them to exploitation, violence and other forms of abuse, making protection an important part of effective migration management.

Chikunga also criticised employers who exploit undocumented workers because their immigration status makes them less likely to report unfair treatment. Such practices can leave workers vulnerable while also creating problems in the labour market, making proper enforcement important for both migrants and local workers.

The Minister said vulnerability should never be turned into an opportunity for exploitation or used for political mobilisation, placing responsibility on institutions and society to ensure migration debates do not strip individuals of their basic rights.

Immigration Enforcement Must Remain With State Authorities

Chikunga affirmed South Africa's right and responsibility to secure its borders and enforce immigration laws, while stressing that enforcement needs to take place through lawful and fair procedures. The authority to determine immigration status and take enforcement action belongs to designated state institutions rather than private individuals or community groups.

She warned against residents stopping people in streets and demanding proof of nationality, saying communities should not take immigration enforcement into their own hands. Allowing unofficial groups to perform such functions can create risks of intimidation, discrimination and unlawful treatment while weakening established legal processes.

Her message at the memorial lecture placed border security and human rights within the same policy conversation rather than treating them as competing choices. Effective migration management, she argued, requires functioning borders and respect for the law while ensuring that foreign nationals, refugees and vulnerable groups are treated fairly and protected from exploitation.