Julius Malema Rejects Claims Migrants Cause Unemployment In South Africa

 Leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), Julius Malema has questioned claims that foreign nationals are responsible for unemployment in South Africa following the evacuation of hundreds of Ghanaians from the country.

His comments come after about 300 Ghanaians were flown back home on Wednesday amid rising xenophobic atttacks and anti-immigrant protests in parts of South Africa.

Speaking during a press briefing, Malema criticised the growing blame placed on migrants for South Africa’s economic struggles.

“Ghanaians are gone now, 300 of them. How many 300 jobs were created after the Ghanaians left?” he asked.

Malema argued that removing foreign nationals would not solve South Africa’s unemployment crisis, insisting that migrants are often unfairly accused of taking jobs and contributing to crime.

According to him, political leaders and sections of society continue to use foreigners as scapegoats instead of addressing the country’s deeper economic problems.

The first group of Ghanaian returnees arrived in Accra on Wednesday under a voluntary evacuation exercise organised by the Government of Ghana.

Authorities said many of those evacuated feared for their safety after reports of intimidation and attacks targeting foreign nationals.

Ghana’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs indicated that more than 800 Ghanaians had registered for evacuation from South Africa following the recent unrest.

South African officials, however, reportedly said only a small number of the returnees possessed valid immigration documents, while many had overstayed their visas or lacked proper legal status.

Despite condemning illegal immigration, Malema said Ghana’s evacuation response created the impression that all South Africans support xenophobic violence.

“The Ghana response was not necessary because it now creates the impression that we are all like that when it is a certain section of our society that needs to be contained by law enforcement,” he stated.

He further called for diplomatic engagement between Ghana and South Africa to resolve tensions rather than emergency evacuations.

“We need to pursue the diplomatic engagements with Ghana until we find solutions,” he added.

The recent tensions emerged after renewed anti-immigrant protests in some South African communities, where demonstrators accused undocumented migrants of contributing to unemployment and criminal activities.

South Africa continues to face high unemployment levels, with economic hardship frequently fueling anti-foreigner sentiments.

Human rights organisations have repeatedly warned about recurring xenophobic attacks in the country, particularly against African migrants operating small businesses or living in vulnerable communities.