Geordin Hill-Lewis, Federal Leader of the DA and the Mayor of Cape Town, has appealed for calm and respect for the rule of law amid growing tensions surrounding illegal immigration, warning that public frustration must not be allowed to descend into hatred, vigilantism or violence.
In a public address tonight (24 June), Hill-Lewis acknowledged the anger felt by many South Africans over unemployment, crime, corruption and ineffective governance. However, he stressed that these challenges should not be used to justify attacks on foreign nationals.
“South Africans are not a hateful people,” he said. “We are a decent, generous and resilient people. Let us once again show the best of who we are, not the worst.”
His remarks come amid concerns over planned protests on Tuesday 30 June and growing anti-immigrant sentiment in parts of the country. Hill-Lewis warned against politicians and vigilante groups who, he said, exploit economic hardship by scapegoating foreign nationals for South Africa’s broader challenges. “Our frustration must never become hatred, and it must never become violence,” he said.
While emphasising that immigration laws must be enforced, Hill-Lewis said this should be done lawfully and with respect for human dignity. “If people have come to our country illegally, the law must be applied, but it must be applied with the full knowledge that we are dealing with human beings,” he said.
He argued that South Africa’s current challenges stem from years of corruption, weakened state institutions and a sluggish economy that has failed to create sufficient jobs.
According to Hill-Lewis, the solution does not lie in vigilantism but in rebuilding state capacity and strengthening law enforcement institutions.
He pointed to reforms being implemented by Leon Schreiber, Minister of the Department of Home Affairs, saying efforts to modernise immigration systems, combat fraud and process undocumented migrants through legal channels demonstrated how a “serious country” should address illegal immigration.
Hill-Lewis also called on the South African Police Service and the criminal justice system to act decisively against any threats of violence or disorder. “The law must be enforced by the state, not by mobs, not by vigilantes, and not by politicians who stoke hatred for votes,” he said.
He stressed that no individual or group has the authority to determine who may live in South Africa, demand identification documents from members of the public, or intimidate families and businesses.
Hill-Lewis said he, as Mayor of Cape Town, had instructed the City’s law enforcement agencies to remain prepared, visible and firm in protecting residents, businesses, schools, places of worship and public transport infrastructure.
He also called on national, provincial and local governments to work together to prevent violence and uphold the law.
He said he had contacted President Cyril Ramaphosa to encourage cooperation across all spheres of government in addressing the situation.
Hill-Lewis argued that South Africa’s most pressing challenge remains economic stagnation rather than the presence of vulnerable migrants.
“South Africa’s deepest problem is not a vulnerable person selling vegetables on a corner who happens not to be born here,” he said. “It is an economy that does not grow, a state that does not work, and a government that has failed to create jobs, secure our borders, fight crime and deliver basic services.”
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In conclusion, he urged South Africans to reject divisive rhetoric and stand for peace, constitutional democracy and the rule of law.
