South Africa has unveiled a raft of new immigration measures that could have implications for thousands of foreigners living and working in the country, including Kenyans.
President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the changes during a national address on Saturday, saying the government was moving to tighten immigration controls, strengthen border security and deal with weaknesses in the country’s immigration system.
The announcement comes amid growing debate in South Africa over illegal immigration, with some groups blaming undocumented migrants for rising pressure on jobs and public services. The issue has sparked protests in some areas, with foreign nationals increasingly finding themselves at the centre of public discussions.
Ramaphosa indicated that this is not about discriminating against foreign nationals but rather enforcing the immigration laws.
One of the measures that have been put forth includes strict penalties for companies involved in employing undocumented immigrants. For instance, firms caught breaking the laws can face stiffer penalties that might include imprisonment of the offenders.
One of the government measures that will be taken up involves increasing the inspections conducted in various workplaces, specifically those that involve transport and logistics operations. According to Ramaphosa, the government plans to hire 10,000 more inspectors to enforce these measures.
A noteworthy move has been made by South Africa in terms of policy-making since the country has decided to go ahead and adopt a digital biometric identity card in lieu of the present green identity book for South Africans and other immigrants in the country.
The government also intends to spend more on border surveillance in its attempt to tighten control in all entry points.
One other proposal advanced by the government involves relocating refugee reception centers near border areas. The government also proposes a biometric population register.
In another significant development, President Ramaphosa has announced his intention to set up specialized courts to handle cases regarding immigration matters.
Corruption in the immigration process will also be among the priorities to be addressed by the reforms. The authorities have indicated that there will be heightened investigations into cases of illegal issuance of papers and facilitation of illegal entry into the country.
The development follows President William Ruto’s visit to South Africa, during which the two countries agreed on several areas of increased cooperation.
The new reforms will particularly draw the attention of Kenyans resident in South Africa, who have had cause for concern over the recent occurrence of anti-immigrant demonstrations in some parts of the country. As recently as earlier this year, the Kenya High Commission in South Africa advised Kenyans to be vigilant due to threats of demonstrations against immigrants.
While his government is poised to crack down on immigrants, President Ramaphosa noted that migrants tend to be scapegoated for the problems in the country. The former said that the bigger issue was the deficiencies in the immigration process, which he hoped would be fixed through the proposed reforms.
The reforms will be phased in slowly in South Africa as the nation tries to navigate the issue of border security and economic necessity, among other issues.
