PEDDLING LIES : Let no facts stand in the way of fearmongers’ selfish ambitions
Anti-immigration leaders are creating imaginary foes and threats to gain greater political influence and exert control over their supporters.
Anti-immigration leaders are using deceitful tactics to gain political power and control over their supporters, a practice that echoes historical instances of manipulation for selfish economic interests. In the 1990s, a Zulu chief, Mangosuthu Buthelezi, spread a false narrative that Mandela's ANC intended to seize Zulu land and undermine traditional authority, leading to violent resistance.
Fast forward to 2026, and the same deceitful strategy is being employed, with Zulus and broader South Africans being told that they are losing their country to undocumented immigrants. The source does not provide specific details on the number of undocumented immigrants in South Africa, but mentions that about 0.23% of the national population is part of the asylum and refugee programme, and the estimated foreign-born population is 3.1 million, representing 5.1% of the national total.
The source also highlights the issue of corruption among officials in the Department of Home Affairs, who profit from the sale of fake IDs, passports, and visas, exacerbating the crisis.
Written by urgent.news from Daily Maverick's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
