South Africa demands better Migration control
South Africa has called other African Countries to help achieve a better managed migration.
South Africa’s international relations minister, Naledi Pandor said this in the wake of a wave of xenophobic attacks.
Talking to migrant representatives, she said that African leaders should not be allowed to worsen conditions in their countries and expect others to deal with the resulting migration.
Twelve people were killed earlier this month when mobs attacked foreign-owned businesses, mainly in Johannesburg.
Ten of the victims were South African and two were Zimbabweans.
President Cyril Ramaphosa said that he felt ashamed by the recent violence.
“We are very concerned and of course as a nation we ashamed because this goes against the ethos of what South Africa stands for,” he said.
But in looking for solutions, the international relations minister suggested this was not just a South African issue.
“We need to talk about the role that sending countries and transit countries play in assisting receiving countries such as South Africa, Kenya, Uganda and many others and in helping them manage the issue of migration far more effectively,” Ms Pandor told members of the African Diaspora Forum in Pretoria.
South Africa has become a magnet for migrants from other parts of Africa as it has one of the continent’s biggest and most developed economies.
But there is also high unemployment in the country and some people feel foreigners are taking their jobs.
Ms Pandor turned to the continent’s need for rapid economic development to help deal with the rising population.
“No leader should be allowed to get away with allowing degradation and expecting someone else to provide a response to their countrymen and women,” she said.
The people who have migrated to South Africa “tended to be… poor and unskilled, just as many millions of black South Africans are”, she said.
She said better education would help improve people’s job prospects.
South Africa has faced damning criticism from leaders of other African countries over the violence.
Nigeria was notably outspoken and South Africa has issued an apology to the country.