This is not the first time the party has been accused of being xenophobic.
Last year, Mashaba claimed ActionSA’s position on illegal immigration was “misunderstood” and “mischaracterised”.
“As ActionSA, we want people of the world to come to SA, but they must do so legally. And when they are here, they must respect our laws,” he said.
“There are always those who are intent on misunderstanding us and mischaracterising our position on the issue of illegal immigration. They call us xenophobic.”
Mashaba said there wasn’t much the party could do about people who held such views.
“There is not much more we can do for them, except to say we respect their right to their view, wrong as we may believe it to be. In the same vein, they believe our position to be wrong. Such is the beauty of democratic electoral politics. It is a festival of ideas,” he said.
Mashaba recently expressed disappointment after home affairs minister Aaron Motsoaledi extended the validity of the Zimbabwean Exemption Permit for another six months to June 30 2023.
He said the extension is a “mockery” of SA’s constitutional democracy.
“This indicates illegal immigration is not a priority for the home affairs ministry and poses a risk of a continued squeeze on our healthcare and social services.”
Mashaba said the extension further chipped away at the autonomy of the state and its functioning, especially in managing the country’s borders.
He said the Immigration Act is clear “SA belongs to South Africans”, and ActionSA's position was that anyone who wished to visit the country may do so, provided they follow the correct channels and observe the immigration laws.
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‘Is it xenophobic to want strong border management?’: Mashaba slams claims
Image: Eugene Coetzee
ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba has again refuted claims that his party is xenophobic.
Over the weekend, social media users expressed how they felt about political parties and which party they thought deserved their vote.
One user said her problem with ActionSA was its stance on xenophobia.
Mashaba responded, saying claims that ActionSA was xenophobic were “nonsense”.
“This nonsense again. Maybe I don’t understand the definition of the word,” he said.
“Is it xenophobic to want strong border management? Is it xenophobic to tell people they must come here legally? Is it xenophobic to prioritise South Africans in their own country?”
This is not the first time the party has been accused of being xenophobic.
Last year, Mashaba claimed ActionSA’s position on illegal immigration was “misunderstood” and “mischaracterised”.
“As ActionSA, we want people of the world to come to SA, but they must do so legally. And when they are here, they must respect our laws,” he said.
“There are always those who are intent on misunderstanding us and mischaracterising our position on the issue of illegal immigration. They call us xenophobic.”
Mashaba said there wasn’t much the party could do about people who held such views.
“There is not much more we can do for them, except to say we respect their right to their view, wrong as we may believe it to be. In the same vein, they believe our position to be wrong. Such is the beauty of democratic electoral politics. It is a festival of ideas,” he said.
Mashaba recently expressed disappointment after home affairs minister Aaron Motsoaledi extended the validity of the Zimbabwean Exemption Permit for another six months to June 30 2023.
He said the extension is a “mockery” of SA’s constitutional democracy.
“This indicates illegal immigration is not a priority for the home affairs ministry and poses a risk of a continued squeeze on our healthcare and social services.”
Mashaba said the extension further chipped away at the autonomy of the state and its functioning, especially in managing the country’s borders.
He said the Immigration Act is clear “SA belongs to South Africans”, and ActionSA's position was that anyone who wished to visit the country may do so, provided they follow the correct channels and observe the immigration laws.
TimesLIVE
Support independent journalism by subscribing to the Sunday Times. Just R20 for the first month.
READ MORE:
Operation Dudula calls for government to declare a state of emergency over illegal immigration
ZEP extension is not due to lawsuits against home affairs ministry — Motsoaledi clears the air
‘SA belongs to South Africans’: Mashaba disappointed by home affairs extending Zimbabwean permits
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