South African Migration Policy: A Critical Review

Immigration to the Republic of South Africa (SA) is not a new phenomenon. Although indigenous blacks comprise over 70% of the population, SA, the most developed and resourcerich country in the region, has attracted a large number of immigrant workers from the Southern Africa region, most of whom are employed in the mining, agriculture and urban services sectors. Prior to the end of apartheid, the government exercised tight control over the numbers and skills of immigrants. With the end of apartheid, a number of important changes were implemented relating to immigration to and from the Republic. The main objectives of this study are (i) to critically evaluate SA's immigration policy and performance prior to the end of apartheid; (ii) examine the socio-economic impact of immigrant labour in South Africa; and (iii) analyse post-apartheid immigration and emigration policies, the aims of those policies, and the difficulties faced by the post-apartheid government in attempting to control the entry of other Africans to SA and exit of skilled South Africans to other nations.