Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma defends March and March movement against xenophobia claims
Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma has refuted allegations that her March and March movement targets foreign nationals, stating she initiated it due to concerns about South Africa's direction. She emphasized that the campaign addresses unemployment, undocumented individuals, and pressure on public services, advocating for South African citizens to be prioritized and immigration laws enforced. Ngobese-Zuma denied political alignment with the uMkhonto weSizwe MK Party, despite her family connection to former president Jacob Zuma. She criticized political parties for not tackling illegal immigration and border security, attributing South Africa's immigration issues partly to political failures. She also questioned why undocumented South Africans, estimated at four million, are not prioritized by the government, noting the problems this creates for accessing jobs and services. Ngobese-Zuma criticized President Cyril Ramaphosa's handling of the immigration debate, accusing him of not understanding the concerns of poor South Africans and stating she would only meet him if it led to solutions. She also discussed developments in Zimbabwe, criticizing African governments for failing to address problems contributing to migration and expressing support for Zimbabweans peacefully protesting their government. Ngobese-Zuma stated her long-term goal is for South Africans to protect the country's resources and opportunities, denying personal financial motivation or aspirations for political office, and af