South Africa Proposes Sweeping Immigration Policy Changes

The country of South Africa is looking to bring its migration policies up to pace with a variety of alterations, which one worker states is aimed at bringing about a balance amongst allowing migrants into the country and securing the safety of the country. South Africa has long been a prime destination for travelers all across Africa.

Amongst the alteration to the laws being thought of is the making of a processing station for refugees and seekers of asylum along the border of the country; a termination of the automatic route from long term stay to becoming eligible for citizenship; the debuting of a points-dependent scheme that is postulated to invite highly talented foreigners and the removal of some permit prerequisites for citizens of African nations.

The intended alterations arise amidst the fears of xenophobic attacks on foreigners in African countries, with the thought that it is neither wanted nor achievable to terminate international migration.

Malusi Gigaba, the minister for home affairs in South Africa, said the proposed plan, which will be presented before the house of parliament the coming week, is targeted at creating a balance between allowing the vast inflow of foreigners from African countries and making sure the country is safe. 

The new laws come in the midst of fierce attacks against migrants of African descent on the country, whom the attackers alleged of robbing them of their jobs and taking away unavailable resources from citizens of South Africa.

“The country of South Africa is dedicated to allowing migration in a controlled manner,” Malusi told reporters on the sidewalks of a convention on foreign migration in the state of Johannesburg. “And we would also be focusing on the issues going on in West Africa, to take corrections from how the region is handling this issue, and to a reasonable extent, to initiate the enforcement of most of those policies.”

“Because, most definitely, the international migration policy of the South African country must be centered on African development,” the minister said.

Last year, the ministry of home affairs in South Africa disclosed that over 16 million individuals came into South Africa. 

The majority were from the surrounding countries such as Zimbabwe, Swaziland, Lesotho, Botswana, and Mozambique. The government of the country also disclosed that there was an influx of around 400,000 Americans and around 560,000 British citizens. In that same year also, migration staff sent back more than 23,000 individuals, with a majority of them from Malawi, Lesotho, Swaziland, Mozambique and Zimbabwe.

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