Thapelo Lekabe

By Thapelo Lekabe

Senior Digital Journalist


Mbalula’s deputy accuses foreign nationals in Hillbrow of economic sabotage

The deputy police minister says he does not think his comments are xenophobic, but are based on 'truth and principle'.


Police Minister Fikile Mbalula’s deputy, Bongani Mkongi, on Friday lashed out at foreign nationals living in Hillbrow, Johannesburg, accusing them of economic sabotage against South Africans.

“How can a city in SA be 80% foreign nationals? That is dangerous that in Hillbrow and the surrounding areas, South Africans have surrendered their own city to the foreigners. The nation should discuss that particular question,” Mkongi said.

“You won’t find South Africans in other countries dominating a city into 80% because if we don’t debate, that necessarily means the whole of SA could be 80% dominated by foreign nationals and the future president of SA could be a foreign national.”

He was briefing the media following his visit to Hillbrow Police Station, where he spoke to police officers about the high number of crimes committed in the area involving unlicensed firearms, illegal trade and hijacked buildings.

The deputy police minister said he did not think his comments were xenophobic, but were based on truth and principle. The 80% figure he cites, however, does not have a credible source.

“We are our surrendering our land and it is not xenophobic to talk truth, we fought for this land from a white minority, we cannot surrender it to the foreign nationals,” Mkongi said. “That is a matter of principle; we fought for this country not only for us but for generations of South Africans. The arms that are being used here in Hillbrow are arms of war, which are unlicensed.”

He also said the hijacking of buildings by foreign nationals were “a sign of taking over power”.

“The question of dominance of foreign nationals in illegal trading and also businesses that are here in Hillbrow is an economic sabotage that is taking place against our people. We are supposed to be those who are running those particular businesses,” Mkongi said.

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