South Africa Protest Leader Says Citizens Should Earn R1m Annually Without Working

By Paul Joseph

South Africa’s anti-immigration campaign has taken an unexpected turn after the leader of the ongoing protests proposed a vision that relies heavily on foreign workers, sparking debate over the movement’s core message.

The protest leader claimed the country is wealthy enough to pay every South African R1 million annually for life, arguing that citizens would no longer need to work if the nation’s natural resources were properly managed.

In a surprising shift, he suggested that foreign nationals could perform most of the country’s labour, likening his proposal to Dubai’s economic model, where expatriates make up a large share of the workforce.

According to him, South Africans should instead benefit from the country’s mineral wealth while migrant workers fill key jobs across various sectors.

The remarks have raised questions about the direction of a movement that has largely been driven by demands to reduce the presence of undocumented foreign nationals and prioritise employment opportunities for South Africans.

The protest leader also made ambitious political promises, saying that if elected president, he would transform South Africa within 12 months and make it the second most beautiful country in the world.

His comments have added a new twist to the anti-immigration protests, with observers noting the apparent contradiction between calls to curb foreign participation in the economy and proposals that envision foreign workers carrying out much of the country’s labour.