The Gulf nations have foreign labour but under kafala laws where workers have no rights, no citizenship path, and can be deported at will. Is that your model? Because South Africa offers asylum, permanent residency, and constitutional protections that Qatar would never dream of giving a Pakistani labourer. So don't compare apples to hand grenades.
African constitutions violate human rights!
Why must South Africa carry the pardon for the entire continent's failures? Your leaders imprison you for protesting. Your constitutions protect corruption, not people. You flee that oppression and we welcome you. But then you turn around and demand we change our systems to accommodate the very dysfunction you ran from?
We are not blaming foreigners for all our problems. Load-shedding is Eskom. Corruption is the ANC. But when undocumented foreign nationals operate outside our laws, sell expired food, and undercut our poorest citizens yes, that is also a problem. And pointing it out is not scapegoating. It is called law enforcement.
You say "build strong institutions." We agree! But strong institutions require borders. Require enforcement. Require putting citizens first. No country on earth builds a functioning state while ignoring its own immigration laws except South Africa.
So let’s be honest, you want us to fix our systems while you benefit from their failure. You want accountability from our leaders but demand none from yours.
We are saying people should go home. Fight for human rights in their countries, fight for what you deserve. Build their own strong institutions. Then come visit us legally, with a visa, and respect our laws!!!!
Until then, stop telling drowning people not to notice the weight pulling them under.
Some of the most developed countries in the Middle East, such as Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE, have large foreign populations. Yet you rarely see citizens blaming foreigners for every economic challenge. Why? Systems.
When institutions work, opportunities are created, and leadership is focused on development, immigrants do not become convenient scapegoats. Chasing away fellow Africans will not magically create jobs, eliminate crime, or solve deep rooted economic problems.
Real change comes from building strong institutions, demanding accountable leadership, improving education, and growing the economy. You can march in the streets from January to December, but if the underlying problems are not addressed, there will be no changes, maybe only burning calories. Sustainable progress is built through reforms and good governance, not by harassing other Africans.