Is Schreiber’s repatriation bill political marketing?
· Citizen
Africa doesn’t have time for South Africa these days, because we’re regarded as the xenophobia capital of the continent – despite the fact there are plenty of anti-foreigner sentiments elsewhere – so Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber’s invoice to some countries will either be ignored, or create emotional outrage.
His department has confirmed it has written to the governments of Malawi, Nigeria and Ethiopia requesting that they reimburse the repatriation costs for their citizens in South Africa.
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It is not clear whether Zimbabwe, whose citizens were probably the bulk of the nearly 83 000 foreigners processed at “repatriation centres” in South Africa, will be sent similar bills.
It is highly unlikely there will be any positive response to the South African requests, because African governments whose citizens were in this country illegally have generally refused to openly acknowledge that fact and have adopted the role of victim.
At one stage, some in Africa were suggesting that Pretoria be billed for the costs of chartering of planes (which Nigeria and Ghana did to evacuate their people).
That’s not going to happen, either. So, why send these bills now, then?
Schreiber is no political babe in the woods and this pointing the finger of accusation back at some of this country’s critics in Africa will play well with the majority of South Africans.
Though some in the government – and some political parties, like the EFF – have difficulty accepting this, the reality is that South Africans feel their hospitality has been abused by illegals.
And anyone demanding monetary payback is going to look like the good guy.
And it’s not often the SA government has shown it has a backbone when dealing with sensitive international matters.
Just in time for the local government elections, a DA minister has demonstrated patriotic fighting spirit. Timely political marketing.