Up and down the streets of South Africa’s biggest cities, the campaign posters of the main opposition party are trumpeting a simple slogan: “Secure our borders.”
The Democratic Alliance has seized on illegal immigration as one of its top issues in Wednesday’s national election. Its campaign platform complains of “uncontrolled immigration [that] violates the rights of ordinary South Africans.“ And it has called for military forces to be deployed to the country’s borders.
The governing African National Congress has taken a similar stand, accusing undocumented immigrants of fuelling crime. Its election manifesto promises “tough measures” against any
After years of economic stagnation and high unemployment in South Africa, immigrants have become targets in this election. Politicians have been quick to exploit the growing anti-foreigner mood, which has become more toxic in South Africa than in many other countries.
The ANC, which is expected to win 50 per cent to 60 per cent of the vote in Wednesday’s election, has found the illegal immigration issue a useful diversion from the slumping economy and persistent corruption scandals. The opposition DA has found it an equally useful weapon to wield against the government.
A recently released poll by Pew Research Centre found that 62 per cent of South Africans
In reality, evidence shows that immigrants are a benefit to South Africa’s economy. A study last year by several groups, including the International Labour Organization, concluded that immigrants in South Africa pay higher taxes and boost the country’s per-capita income by up to 5 per cent by improving productivity.
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