Maimane blames Zimbabwe’s stolen elections and ANC silence for South Africa’s migrant burden
South African opposition leader Mmusi Maimane has sharply criticized President Cyril Ramaphosa’s government, accusing the ruling African National Congress (ANC) of “folding its arms” while Zimbabwe’s political crisis deepens.
According to Maimane, Zimbabwe’s stolen elections are no longer just a domestic issue—they are now driving instability throughout the region, particularly in South Africa.
Maimane, leader of Build One South Africa (BOSA), said the ANC’s failure to confront electoral fraud and authoritarianism in Zimbabwe and Mozambique has emboldened regimes such as Zanu PF and FRELIMO.
This, he argues, has led to widespread poverty, displacement, and migration.
Maimane Accuses ANC of Enabling Collapse Through Silent Endorsement
“The ANC supported two corrupt parties in the SADC region, and as those countries failed, their citizens came to South Africa—some through legal routes, others illegally,” Maimane said in a post on X.
He said South Africa’s ruling party has consistently endorsed flawed elections in the region instead of standing up for democratic principles. “Those thugs who run that country stole everything—including elections,” he said, referring to Zimbabwe’s ruling party.
South African Institutions Strained by Regional Political Fallout
South Africa is currently home to an estimated two million Zimbabwean nationals who have fled their country’s economic collapse and authoritarian rule.
Maimane said this wave of migration is putting immense pressure on local institutions and should be seen as a consequence of the ANC’s foreign policy choices.
“The problems in our hospitals and clinics are a result of the dictatorship in Zimbabwe,” he said, referencing growing public anger over foreign nationals receiving services in an already strained system.
Rights groups including Doctors Without Borders have highlighted recent cases where Zimbabweans and other migrants were denied or delayed medical care due to xenophobic backlash and institutional overload.
Calls for Regional Electoral Reform and Accountability
Maimane urged the South African government to adopt a firmer stance on democracy and governance across the region.
He stressed the need for coordinated pressure to ensure free and fair elections in Southern African Development Community (SADC) member states.
“We must hold election riggers accountable. We must push for electoral reforms before those elections are due,” he said. “The oppressed are now being oppressed by Zanu PF and FRELIMO. They are not the good guys anymore—they are part of the problem.”
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He warned that unless the root causes—like rigged elections, corruption, and dictatorship—are addressed, South Africa will continue to bear the brunt of regional instability.
