KZN govt seeks UN help, set to host illegal migration summit

KZN Premier Thamsanqa Ntuli emphasises the need for UN collaboration as the province gears up for a summit addressing the challenges of undocumented foreign nationals. KwaZulu-Natal Premier Thamsanqa Ntuli has called for stronger cooperation with United Nations agencies and international partners as the province prepares to host a summit on undocumented foreign nationals later this month. Speaking during high-level diplomatic engagements in Durban on Thursday, Ntuli said migration remained an important contributor to economic development, cultural diversity, and social progress, but warned that unmanaged migration posed challenges for both communities and migrants.

The engagements were attended by the High Commissioner of Pakistan to South Africa, Malik Muhammad Farooq, as well as representatives of the United Nations system and foreign missions. Ntuli said communities across KwaZulu-Natal had raised concerns about undocumented foreign nationals, including pressure on public services, local economic participation, criminality in certain areas, and growing social tensions. “These concerns are real, and government has a responsibility not to ignore them, but to confront them responsibly, locally, and with humanity,” he said.

The concerns about illegal foreign nationals has led to a series of protests and action being taken in parts of Durban. In recent weeks, several groups of foreign nationals claim they have been chased out of their homes.More than 1000 Malawian nationalsare currently camped outside the Sherwood Hall, Sydenham after they were chased out of their homes in an informal settlement. The premier stressed that migration itself should not be viewed as the problem.

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“Migration has enriched societies, strengthened economies, contributed to social and economic development, and has been an important part of our development,” he said. “The challenge before us is therefore not whether migration should exist, but how it can be managed in a manner that is legal, humane, orderly, and beneficial to all.” Ntuli said the provincial government’s approach was guided by respect for human rights, dignity, and the rule of law. “We reject both xenophobia and lawlessness.

We reject hatred, but we also reject disorder. What we seek is balance, a society where compassion coexists with accountability, and a society where rights are accompanied by responsibility,” he said.

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