Former Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder Benedict “Tso” Vilakazi has voiced his support for calls demanding that undocumented foreign nationals leave South Africa.
Tuesday, June 30, marked the deadline that some civic groups had set for undocumented foreigners to leave the country, with marches taking place in several areas calling on government to tighten immigration enforcement.
Vilakazi said the debate is not about opposing foreigners, but about ensuring everyone entering and living in the country does so legally.
“I want us to really understand why we say we don’t want illegal foreigners,” Vilakazi said.
“I’ll make an example. I went to the World Cup in Mexico recently. For me to be allowed into Mexico, I had to apply for a visa. To fly from South Africa via Paris to Mexico, I needed the correct documentation. Without that visa, I would not have been allowed to enter.”
He stressed that the same principle should apply in South Africa.
“We are not saying we do not want foreigners. We just don’t want foreigners who are undocumented. We welcome foreigners, but they must have the proper documents.”
Vilakazi also used football to illustrate his point, mentioning Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso and Orlando Pirates coach Abdeslam Ouaddou as examples of foreign professionals working legally in South Africa.
“We have coach Miguel Cardoso at Sundowns,” added Vilakazi. “He is a foreigner, but he has proper documents. We have coach Ouaddou at Orlando Pirates, and we want him here because he is in the country legally.
“We also have foreign players in the Betway Premiership, and we want them because they have the correct documentation. Anyone is welcome, as long as they have the legal documents that allow them to be here.”