BREAKING NEWS: Jacinta Responds to President’s Remarks on Identity Checks: “Communities Must Be Included”

Johannesburg – Community activist Jacinta has weighed in on President Cyril Ramaphosa’s recent statement that citizens do not have the right to demand proof of identity from individuals, saying the president’s approach excludes community participation in addressing illegal immigration.

Asked for comment on the president’s position, Jacinta said:  

_"The President should not ignore Section 42 of the Criminal Effects Act, read together with the Immigration Act... it allows us as the community to make a citizen’s arrest when we witness a crime and then call the police. So, the President’s problem is that he wants to tackle the issue of illegal foreigners while excluding us as communities, which is not right."

Jacinta argued that communities living alongside undocumented migrants are directly affected and therefore have a role to play. She referenced Section 42 of the Criminal Procedure Act, which provides for citizen’s arrests under specific conditions, and the Immigration Act, which outlines immigration offences and enforcement procedures.

Her remarks come amid heightened public debate over how best to address undocumented migration, with government officials emphasizing that only law enforcement and immigration officers are authorized to request identity documents and effect arrests.

The presidency has not yet responded to Jacinta’s comments. The issue of community involvement versus exclusive police authority in immigration enforcement remains a point of contention in several provinces.