By Lilo | May 2025
Let’s talk honestly — because I’m tired of whispering when the room is already loud with opinions.
I’m a foreign national. I have permanent residency, a clean record, and a desire to grow — not just for myself, but with the country I’ve come to call home. But every now and then, I hear it again: “Foreigners are taking our jobs,” “They don’t belong here,” or the ever-popular “They’re the reason there’s crime.”
Let me pause you right there.
Let’s not pretend that the government was ever fair. Many South African citizens are unemployed — not because foreigners came in and snatched their dreams — but because the roots of this crisis go deeper: corruption, failing institutions, underfunded schools, and businesses looking for cheap, exploitable labour. Immigrants just happen to be the easiest scapegoat. Why? Because we’re visible, vulnerable, and voiceless in most conversations.
But here I am. Speaking.
You see a Zimbabwean man pushing a trolley, selling vegetables? I see a survivor. Someone with dignity. Someone who crossed borders not to steal, but to serve — to feed his family, to start over. You complain about a Congolese woman braiding hair in the taxi rank? I see a hustler — a skilled entrepreneur who didn’t wait for opportunity to knock, but built her own door. That’s not a threat. That’s inspiration.
Are there illegal immigrants in the country? Yes. Should there be policies that ensure safety, security, and fairness? Absolutely. But how can we have that conversation if we’re too busy screaming instead of listening?
Let me ask this — and ask it plainly: if a South African employer is offering R500 a week with no contract and zero benefits, and a desperate foreigner takes that job… who’s the real problem? The worker who took the only option they had, or the boss who created a system of exploitation?
Lately, it feels like the outrage isn’t even about legality anymore. Most South Africans aren’t asking, “Is this person legal?” — they’ve moved straight to “All foreigners must go.” No nuance. No second thought. And truthfully, I understand the frustration — there are foreigners who break the law, and that should never be ignored. But what about the rest of us? Those of us here legally, working hard, paying taxes, respecting the law, and trying to build honest lives? Are we all just guilty by association now? That’s not justice. That’s a shortcut to division.
Let me be clear: I’m not writing this to ask for pity. I’m not here to say “love all foreigners” or pretend everyone with an accent is an angel. No. I’m here to say: we’re not the enemy. We’re neighbours. Workers. Friends. And sometimes, we’re the very people feeding communities and fixing broken systems where no one else will.
If South Africans and legal/illegal immigrants stopped fighting over crumbs, maybe we’d finally look up and realise who’s eating the whole cake.
So next time you see a hardworking foreigner doing what needs to be done — don’t roll your eyes.
Ask yourself: what can I learn from that drive?
