Home Affairs prioritising immigration policy

Source: Home Affairs prioritising immigration policy, 17/05/2017

Home Affairs prioritising immigration policy
Cape Town â€" Home Affairs had made improving South Africas
international migration policy a priority Minister Hlengiwe Mkhize
said on Wednesday.


Cabinet approved the white paper on international migration in March
she said during her departments budget vote debate in
Parliament.


Briefing reporters earlier she said the white paper replaced a 1999
version which did not address globalisation migration and priorities
set out in the National Development Plan Vision 2030.


The new paper was intended to provide a policy framework for amending
immigration and refugee legislation to better align these with goals
of using migration for development. It would guide managing labour
from the SADC region.


Reviewing and updating immigration policy is critical because it
guides how we manage entry sojourn and departure from the country, to
better interact with the rest of the world in the interests of the
nation its security and prosperity she said.


Mkhize was pleased that the Border Management Authority Bill had gone
through the parliamentary process. Last week most opposition parties
scuppered the passing of this bill when they staged a walkout. The ANC
did not have enough MPs in the National Assembly to form a quorum.
6 million smart cards
DA MP Haniff Hoosen praised the department for the rollout of six
million smart ID cards in four years and the quick turnaround times
for passport applications.


However South Africas immigration system was broken. Many people
entered South Africa legally but many did not he said.
Most businesses respect our laws and pay their workers a proper wage
but they are also forced to watch others exploit these rules as they
pay undocumented immigrants low wages.


Home affairs could not say how many millions of undocumented
immigrants were in the country. An immigration system that was fair
effective and helped grow the economy and create jobs was
needed.


You no longer need to jump a fence there is no fence he said.


Mkhizes deputy Fatima Chohan dedicated her speech to Palestinian
prisoners who were on hunger strike in Israeli jails in protest
against the cruel and unjust occupation" of Palestile.
Today there are more refugees globally than any time in history sad to
say she said.


ANC MP Nokhaya Mnisi said not everyone coming through South Africas
border had honourable intentions.


Like the Guptas! yelled an MP in the opposition benches.
Mnisi said 95% of those claiming asylum in South Africa were not
genuine asylum seekers.


South Africa must be able to refuse asylum to asylum seekers who
traversed safe countries she said adding that this was within the
United Nations rules.