Seal our borders, say Joburg mayor

Johannesburg Mayor Herman Mashaba has called on the Department of Home Affairs to seal South Africa's borders.

He said this in a march by the DA to Gauteng Premier David Makhura's office in Central Johannesburg on Tuesday morning.

"We face a crisis of our residents in the city centre‚ be it Alexandra‚ Rossetenville or anywhere else. At the same time we face a crisis with our foreign nationals‚ we need a resolution to this‚" he said.

"I had a meeting with the Africa Diaspora team and I will work with them to ensure that we hold the minister accountable to ensure that our borders are closed.

The Department of Home Affairs hit back on Tuesday‚ saying the mayor had not responded to requests for his input on amendments to migration bills under consideration in Parliament.

The department said he should not use the lives of people as a public relations exercise.

The spat comes as the Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs deliberates on the Refugees Amendment Bill and the consideration and approval of amendments to the Border Management Authority Bill.

Mashaba accused the department of not addressing the underlying cause of xenophobia.