Lamola calls for robust economic diplomacy and effective migration management in budget speech
International Relations and Cooperation Minister Ronald Lamola on Tuesday urged law enforcement agencies to enforce the law in dealing with illegal migration.
Tabling the department’s R7.2 billion budget in the National Assembly, Lamola said migration should be managed lawfully in a coordinated manner.
“Based on evidence, data, and statistics, law enforcement authorities must enforce the law concerning irregular migration, and not private citizens,” he said.
“The police, border management, and labour inspectors have to play their role. It means the protection of the fundamental rights of every person, secure borders, and an immigration system that is insulated from corruption.”
He told the MPs that South Africa’s use of foreign policy must ultimately speak to the lives of the people.
“Our foreign policy must support inclusive economic growth, poverty eradication, sustainable development, peace, and security.”
Lamola observed that the country’s economic diplomacy was yielding results, with 45% of processed goods now traded within Africa, and the agricultural exports reached a record of US $15.1 billion in the first quarter of 2026, while farm exports reached US $3.7 billion.
“This creates jobs at home in the processing plants and factories, including the logistic networks. These exports reach markets across Africa, the European Union, and Asia,” he said.
The minister also said one of South Africa’s task is to advance the interest and the voice of the African continent.
Lamola said the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) must become a practical instrument for expanding intra-Africa trade, building regional value chains, advancing industrialisation, and creating jobs.
“The AfCFTA has the potential for a common market of US $3.4 trillion, and a pathway to diversification, reduce dependency on external markets, and greater resilience of our economies.”
He added that the SADC ministers of foreign affairs were in agreement that SADC must be better prepared to respond to external shocks.
Lamola further said that when South Africa assumes the full chairship of SADC in August 2026, priorities will include deepening political cohesion, consolidating the SADC free trade area, and reducing non-tariff barriers.
According to the minister, South Africa has a task to champion the reform of global governance and defend international cooperation.
“South Africa’s responsibility is to advance a fairer and more representative global order. This means continuing to call for reform of the United Nations, especially the Security Council, so that it can respond more effectively to contemporary global challenges,” he said.
MK Party MP Wesley Douglas decried the 2% increase in the budget, and called for South African embassies to be an economic command centre for national development.
DA MP Mergan Chetty lashed out at Lamola for failing to honour his promise to attend one portfolio committee during the sessions of a parliamentary quarter.
Chetty also said the department was hoodwinking the portfolio committee into thinking that Cuba was in Africa, as the ANC’s justification to channel donations to it through the African Renaissance and International Cooperation Fund.
“All of this aid is sent to assist Cuban citizens, while our very poor South Africans are left both jobless and homeless,” he said.
EFF MP Nqobile Mhlongo said the 2% budget increase was not sufficient and made no impact on foreign policy in forging African unity and cementing South Africa’s role in global affairs.
“We heard an outcry about ICT challenges in missions, yet again no funds have been allocated for ICT modernisation for foreign missions in this financial year,” she said, adding that the R174m allocated for property did not take into account dilapidated properties in Africa as opposed to those in London and Denmark.
ActionSA MP Malebo Kobe said that while South Africa spent R3.5 billion to maintain foreign missions and embassies, the department lacks mechanisms to evaluate the effectiveness of the missions.
Kobe said there should consolidation of diplomatic representation and accreditation across multiple countries, and that the department should focus on the migration crisis due to illegal migrants fleeing their countries due to economic, governance, and human rights collapse.
In response, Lamola welcomed the issues raised by the MPs, saying some were not really helpful to take South Africa forward.
“We also agree that, indeed, our budget is not enough, but we can live with what we have and continue to advocate for the department to be allocated enough to be able to function optimally,” said Lamola.
However, he said the committee meetings should be organised in line with his diary and understanding the nature of his responsibilities.
“If you see me here regularly and everyday, you must call for me to be fired, because my work is in global platforms of engagements and bilateral relations and also at multilateral platforms,” he said.
