Govt’s plan to overhaul immigration system receives pushback

The Helen Suzman Foundation is calling on Parliament not to adopt the White Paper on the Citizenship, Immigration and Refugee Protection into law.

The foundation’s call comes after the contentious White Paper, which it has on numerous occasions opposed, was signed in the government gazette yesterday.

It aims to overhaul regulations on granting citizenship, immigration and refugee protection. It also gives government the go-ahead to review or withdraw from the 1951 Convention and the 1967 Protocol.

The agreements mandate signatory states not to deport asylum seekers back to countries where their life or freedom would be threatened, among others.

During a media briefing yesterday, Home Affairs Minister, Aaron Motsoaledi, said the White Paper will make way for government to exercise its right to make reservations on some elements of the agreements.

The Helen Suzman Foundation, however, objects to this, expressing dismay that Cabinet forged ahead with its decision despite the organisation’s objections.

Over recent months, the foundation has hauled Minister Motsoaledi to the courts in its bid to challenge his attempts to tighten the immigration laws.

Opposition parties have also voiced their objection to the White Paper, with the EFF saying there will never be sustainable economic growth on the continent without an integrated economic growth plan.

The party, which is loved and abhorred by some for its pro-immigration stance, reiterated its call for the tearing down of the country’s borders.

EFF’s Deputy President, Floyd Shivambu, made the remarks during a political debate hosted by Y’s media partner, Mail & Guardian.

His utterances came just hours after Motsoaledi announced that Cabinet had approved the final White Paper.

However, Shivambu believes a Pan Africanist economic policy is what’s needed to pluck South Africa out of its unemployment crisis.