PODCAST: Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma defends March and March movement amid xenophobia criticism

Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma has defended her March and March movement against accusations that it promotes xenophobia. On The Movement podcast, Ngobese-Zuma explained that she founded the movement due to her growing concerns about South Africa's direction. She stated that the campaign is driven by worries about unemployment, undocumented individuals, and strain on public services.

Ngobese-Zuma clarified that March and March is not targeting foreign nationals but rather prioritizing South Africans while enforcing immigration laws. She also dismissed claims of political alignment with the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party. Ngobese-Zuma acknowledged her family ties to former President Jacob Zuma but emphasized that this does not make her an MK party associate.

She criticized political parties for not addressing illegal immigration and border security, attributing South Africa's immigration challenges to political failures. The activist alleged that around four million South Africans are undocumented, which creates difficulties when accessing jobs and government services. Ngobese-Zuma criticized President Cyril Ramaphosa's handling of the immigration debate, accusing him of failing to comprehend the concerns of poor South Africans.

She expressed her willingness to meet Ramaphosa only if the meeting could yield solutions to the immigration crisis. The March and March leader also addressed the situation in Zimbabwe, condemning African governments for not tackling political and economic issues that drive migration. Despite facing criticism from political parties and other groups, Ngobese-Zuma asserted that she is not intimidated.

She emphasized her long-term goal of enabling South Africans to protect the country's resources and opportunities. Ngobese-Zuma stated that her campaign is not driven by personal financial difficulties and rejected suggestions that she seeks political office, focusing instead on changing what she believes is wrong in South Africa.