Govt hates all forms of xenophobia ��` Gigaba

Source: African News Agency, 20/03/2018

Despite being flooded with millions of immigrants fleeing persecution
and economic meltdown in their countries, the South African
government strives to provide a safe environment for migrants, while
at the same time balancing the need to provide much needed services
and security to its 50 million-plus citizens, Home Affairs Minister
Malusi Gigaba said on Tuesday.
Gigaba was delivering his welcoming remarks at a briefing session on
the United Nations Global Compact on Migration for the Diplomatic
Corps in South Africa, hosted at the department of international
relations and cooperation`s (Dirco) OR Tambo Building in Pretoria.
“As a developing country, South Africa has experienced large mixed-
migration flows and seen an unprecedented number of migrants and
refugees seeking opportunities and sanctuary in our country post-
independence. Our relatively strong economy, stable democracy,
liberal and human rights centred policies arguably serve as a pull
factor, offering migrants and refugees alike a sense of hope to break
away from poverty, conflicts and underdevelopment,” said Gigaba.
“Meanwhile, Sub-Saharan Africa has hosted and continues to host a
vast number of forcibly displaced persons with limited resources and
support, with South Africa being the largest single recipient of
asylum seekers between 2008 and 2011. In this regard, the country is
regarded as a leader on the African continent by availing to
recognised forcibly displaced persons (refugees) within its territory
human rights and fundamental freedoms as contained in the
Constitution, such as freedom of movement and the right to choose
where to live, work, study and access social services.`
He reminded diplomats that Pretoria provides the services and
freedoms to millions of immigrants at a significant economic cost.
“These freedoms demand that the government stretches its limited
resources to strike a balance between the needs of citizens and the
provision of basic rights to migrants and refugees. The migration,
particularly of low-skilled working class migrants, poses a
particular challenge as it exerts pressures on the economy, social
services and infrastructure, which in turn gives rise to competition
for scarce resources in local poor and working class communities,
heightening tensions which on several occasions have led to outbursts
of xenophobic violence directed at immigrants,” he said.
“Both the South African government and civil society condemn
xenophobia in all its forms. The vulnerability, particularly of poor
and working class migrants, and more especially women and children,
has given rise to human rights abuses and exploitation, amongst
others, at the hands of criminal syndicates and unscrupulous public
servants.”
Gigaba said in attempting to alleviate the tensions and pressures,
the South African government has sought to engage local communities,
sensitising them about the rights of immigrants, engaging the
immigrants in regard to their rights and responsibilities in South
Africa and, at the same time, engaging with neighbouring countries -
both bilaterally as well as multilaterally - on measures to
facilitate and manage the orderly movement of migrants from the
region as the starting point to protecting and safeguarding the
rights of those coming to the country.
The session in Pretoria was organised by the department of
international relations and cooperation, and the International
Organisation for Migration, in partnership with the Swiss and the
Mexican diplomatic representations.