Public anger as Joburg mayor urges hiring of foreigners into South African security
Top ANC official forced to issue public apology amid fears of torching xenophobic tensions
By Staff Reporter
Johannesburg mayor Dada Morero has been forced to issue a public apology and comments withdrawal after his recent call for the recruitment of foreigners into South Africa’s law enforcement agencies has invited a backlash from his country’s unemployed citizens and the ruling ANC.
Morero, who doubles as Johannesburg ANC regional chairperson, had urged the employment of “documented foreigners to address the language barriers faced by law enforcement officers when dealing with crimes involving foreign nationals”.
His comments elicited angry reactions from some South Africans on social media and further reignited calls for his ouster.
South Africa has a high unemployment rate while ordinary citizens have been resentful of foreigners they accuse of taking their jobs.
The rich African country has seen deadly xenophobic attacks against foreigners in recent years with some radical locals taking the law into their hands while accusing the ANC government of failing to control massive migration into South African territory by millions of undocumented foreigners some of whom have been linked to violent crime in that country.
In response to the uproar, Morero publicly retracted his contentious proposal at a press conference.
He admitted his proposal has caused anxiety among both Johannesburg residents and the broader South African public.
Morero said, “after further reflection and a robust debate within the ANC’s Lekgotla, the proposal was deemed undesirable and unattainable” given South Africa’s high unemployment rates and the ongoing challenges of migration and in-migration.
“Upon further reflection, I have come to the conclusion that my suggestion was not consistent with the policies of the ANC and the policies of government.
“I therefore unconditionally withdraw my proposal and apologize for the anxiety it might have caused.”
He emphasized that moving forward, efforts would be directed towards training local officers in foreign languages to improve policing effectiveness in communities with high concentrations of foreign nationals.
Responding to his apology, the ANC accepted Morero’s comments withdrawal.
