King Misuzulu kaZwelithini will lead a delegation to meet with the Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Friday..
Image: Tumi Pakkies/ ANA Studio
AmaZulu king Misuzulu kaZwelithini will on Friday lead a delegation of traditional leaders to Zimbabwe to meet President Emmerson Mnangagwa over the escalating illegal immigration issue between South Africa and other African states.
The king’s delegation will include AmaMpondo king Ndlovuyezwe Ndamase from the Eastern Cape as well as other traditional leaders from other provinces. King Ndlovuyezwe and king Misuzulu are related because their mothers are king Mswati’s sisters.
The trip was confirmed by the king’s private secretary Arnold Ndamase earlier on Thursday, however, he refused to discuss the details and the agenda of the meeting with Zimbabwean president, except to say the issue of illegal immigration is top on the agenda.
“I cannot divulge the agenda of the meeting before it takes place, however, I can assure the public that the issue of illegal immigration is on the agenda,” said Ndamase.
The visit comes amid the urgent meeting between President Cyril Ramaphosa and king Misuzulu prior to the June 30 deadline in Pretoria. Fearing the repeat of 2021 July civic unrest, Ramaphosa sent a chopper on June 28 to pick up the king to Pretoria to urgently discuss the illegal immigration issue.
Through the king, the president was able to hold a meeting with the organisers of the shutdown Phakel’mthakathi Ndabandaba and Ngizwe Mchunu who assured him that the shutdown was going to be peaceful. Ndamase said the king’s visit received a blessing from both the Department of International Relations and Cooperation as well as the presidency.
The Zulu royal insiders said the king Misuzulu’s delegation will carry the South African government’s position that the call for the deportation and repatriation of illegal immigrants is not based on xenophobia, but the genuine concerns of locals who feel that undocumented foreign nationals were involved in crime and give them unfair competition in the labour market and access to services such as health care.
“Another issue the delegation will raise with the Zimbabwean president is the issue of border control on the side of African countries. It must be stated that before crossing to our borders, their nationals first cross their countries' borders so the affected African countries can assist South Africa by tightening their own border control management systems," said the source.
There are already fears that the issue has caused problems in diplomatic relations for South Africa since many African countries have categorised the deportation campaign as xenophobic.
The Department of International Relations and Cooperation had not yet confirmed the trip at the time of the publication.