We are concerned that the lack of documentation excludes individuals from participation in the formal economy and limits opportunities to access social support mechanisms. We must act as one against a broken immigration system and address the following challenges:
- Insufficient immigration controls: the Department of Home Affairs is utterly incapable of dealing with the influx of immigrants, and accessing South Africa through the legal channels is prohibitively burdensome. Immigration laws are too strict, and a failure of political leadership has led to the deterioration of the administrative capacity of immigration authorities. Refugees and asylum-seekers do not receive the support required to integrate into South African society.
- Burdensome immigration regulations: South Africa’s economic growth is hampered by how challenging it is for skilled immigrants to get working visas, which impacts on the country as an investment destination for international investors and reduces our ability to address skills deficits.
- Porous borders: there are few to no physical barriers protecting South Africa’s sovereign borders and law enforcement lack the capacity required to patrol South Africa’s vast borders.
- Lack of the rule of law: it is too easy to bribe officials for faked documents, and international crime syndicates operate freely across our borders.
- Weak foreign policy: the South African government no longer stands up for human rights on the international stage, and turns a blind eye to human rights abuses. Deteriorating civil rights in our regional neighbours exacerbates illegal immigration as more people seek refuge in South Africa.