HAWKERS from the Musina border gate in Limpopo have expressed their struggles as the increase in illegal immigration hampers their ability to make a living.
Their grievances were voiced during a visit by ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba on Monday, 27 November.
Mashaba, accompanied by local traditional leaders Kgoshi Letsiri Phaahla and Khwara Nengwekhulu, initiated the first leg of a border tour to spotlight the challenges posed by porous borders.
They engaged with the community about the difficulties experienced by South Africans living and working close to the country's dysfunctional borders.
Hawker Lizzy Munyai told Daily Sun that the problem started in 2002.
"Back then, we used to make more than R500 per day, but now we can't because of undocumented foreigners are all over.
“We hope they take back those who are illegal so that we can be able to make ends meet again because we are also suffering like them," she said.
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Daily Sun spotted an illegal migrant coming from Zimbabwe, and he said that he often comes to Mzansi after three days to collect bags to make a living.
"I come to SA after three days, and we don't find it difficult as there's no security at the border most of the time. Sometimes we find BMA border guards who turn us back," he said.
Nengwekhulu said: "We only want legal immigrants in SA because our people are also unemployed. So, we can't allow the illegal immigrants to take their only way to make money."
According to Mashaba, ActionSA is committed to securing borders by streamlining operations at the Department of Home Affairs, limiting corruption, and ensuring that people can come to South Africa legally.
Mashaba and his party members, together with members of the media, were denied access to see what was happening at the border gate.
“We are against the idea of a borderless Africa because illegal immigration is the biggest problem our people are facing. We can't allow our country to be a banana state as people come in and out illegally and do whatever they like without facing any repercussions," he said.
