Herman Mashaba has asked the public to weigh in on illegal immigration through his platform, The People's Dialogue.

The former Johannesburg mayor said it was getting out of hand and nothing was being done to solve it because “corrupt politicians are too scared to talk about it”.

In a video on Twitter, Mashaba acknowledged the importance of people coming to SA to work and visit, but emphasised that this must be done in accordance with the law.

“People who come into South Africa must come in legally and when here, obey our laws. This is not too much to ask, and it's a requirement in all countries in the world. The reality is that SA does not have borders. Every day people come into our country and some of these people are good people who are legitimately seeking asylum in SA, but some come to commit crime.”

Mashaba's views on illegal immigration have often landed him in hot water. He has been accused of being xenophobic, but said it was important for these issues to be discussed as not doing so was detrimental to SA's growth.