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I welcome President Cyril Ramaphosa’s address to the nation this evening, and his clear message that South Africa’s economic struggles are not caused by foreign nationals, but by the failure to grow the economy and create millions of jobs.

This is the right message at a dangerous moment for our country. South Africans must reject xenophobia, uphold our constitutional values, and never allow anger over hardship to become violence against vulnerable people.

The DA will support every lawful effort in the GNU to restore order, secure our borders, and fix the broken systems that have allowed illegal migration to become a source of fear and frustration. That is why the work being done by Minister Leon Schreiber at Home Affairs to strengthen lawful immigration control, improve documentation, and secure the border must be welcomed.

People must be in South Africa legally, and the law must be enforced by the state - not by mobs, vigilantes, or politicians who stoke hatred for votes.

Anyone who incites violence against foreign nationals, including political leaders, must be arrested and prosecuted, and every South African must abide by the Constitution we share.

We must be honest that the deeper answer to this crisis is jobs, growth and a capable state.

The GNU must move much faster to implement the economic reforms needed to attract investment, unlock opportunity, cut red tape, fix infrastructure, and create the environment in which millions of South Africans can find work.

Where the DA governs, we are already showing this in practice: clean government, reliable services, safer communities, and a relentless focus on making it easier to invest, grow and create jobs.

The DA is doing the work in government where we can, and we will continue fighting for a South Africa that is lawful, safe, prosperous and united — a country that works for everyone who calls it home.

Issued by Geordin Hill-Lewis - Leader of the Democratic Alliance