I am genuinely disappointed in Julius Malema.
Not because he disagrees with people. Not because he has strong political opinions. South Africans are used to loud politics and heated debates. The disappointment comes from the fact that Julius Malema, a man who built his political reputation on claiming to represent the frustrations of ordinary citizens, now seems completely disconnected from what many South Africans are actually saying.
South Africans are not asking for hatred.
South Africans are not asking for violence.
South Africans are not asking for innocent people to be attacked.
What South Africans are asking for is simple: enforce immigration laws, secure the borders, fix Home Affairs, and prioritise citizens in a collapsing economy.
That is not xenophobia. That is common sense.
Yet every time ordinary people raise concerns about illegal immigration, there are politicians who immediately try to shame citizens instead of addressing the actual issue. Julius Malema has become one of those politicians.
His recent comments about undocumented foreign nationals being registered and documented instead of deported through lawful processes frustrated many South Africans because they completely ignored the bigger issue people are trying to raise. The problem is not legal immigrants. The problem is not Africans from other countries. The problem is not people who came here properly, respect the law, work honestly, and contribute positively to society.
The issue is illegal immigration and government failure.
South Africans are living in a country where unemployment is devastating families, crime is rising, infrastructure is collapsing, corruption is endless, and service delivery continues to fail communities year after year. Citizens are exhausted. People are frustrated. Young people are losing hope.
And instead of acknowledging those frustrations honestly, politicians like Malema often redirect the conversation into emotional slogans, personal attacks, tribal accusations, and political theatre.
That is what makes this situation so disappointing.
Many South Africans once respected Julius Malema because he sounded fearless. He sounded like somebody who understood the pressure citizens are under. He positioned himself as somebody fighting for economic justice and accountability. But now, many people feel he has become more focused on maintaining his political image than listening to the concerns of ordinary citizens.
Some critics have even alleged that parts of the EFF’s ideological direction appear sympathetic toward open-border policies. Whether that is entirely true or not, the perception exists because of statements that seem increasingly disconnected from the realities South Africans face daily.
And the moment people disagree with him, the conversation suddenly becomes about tribalism, provinces, or political loyalty instead of the actual issue at hand.
That is dangerous.
This is not a Zulu issue.
This is not a Limpopo issue.
This is not a tribal issue.
This is a South African issue.
People from every background in this country are affected by government incompetence. An economy under pressure affects everyone. Broken systems affect everyone. Weak law enforcement affects everyone. Corruption affects everyone.
South Africans are tired of politicians acting as though citizens are irrational for demanding order and accountability in their own country.
Every serious country in the world has immigration laws.
Every serious country secures its borders.
Every serious country prioritises its own citizens while still allowing legal immigration.
Why should South Africans be made to feel guilty for expecting the same from their government?
That is the question politicians refuse to answer honestly.
Instead, citizens are labelled emotional, tribalist, intolerant, or xenophobic whenever they raise concerns that make political leaders uncomfortable. But refusing to discuss illegal immigration openly does not make the issue disappear. Ignoring people’s frustrations does not solve the problem. Silencing citizens does not build unity.
It builds resentment.
What South Africans are asking for is not unreasonable.
They are asking for:
- Proper border control
- Functional immigration systems
- Enforcement of immigration laws
- Accountability from government
- Protection of public resources
- Economic opportunities for citizens
- Leadership that listens instead of lectures
None of that is hatred.
None of that is violence.
None of that means South Africans hate foreigners.
It means South Africans are tired of living in a country where government failures are ignored while ordinary citizens are expected to remain silent.
And perhaps that is what disappoints many people most about Julius Malema today. He once positioned himself as somebody who challenged power on behalf of the people. But lately, it feels like he spends more time dismissing citizens than listening to them.
South Africans are not asking politicians to perform outrage on television.
They are asking them to solve problems.
And if leaders cannot understand why citizens are frustrated about unemployment, illegal immigration, corruption, weak borders, and collapsing systems, then maybe they are no longer as connected to the people as they claim to be.
