SA: legalise immigrants

[mahnmut]

The South African government has consistently moved to block attempts to discuss Zimbabwe's political and economic meltdown in the UN security council, insisting it's not the correct forum since the issue does not have international security implications.

This... despite being warned repeatedly that millions of legal and illegal immigrants streaming over our shared border to eke out a living in the already depressed informal settlements that surround our major cities amounted to a ticking time bomb. Well, the predicted explosion has now occurred, the fuse ignited in this instance by a perception that foreigners are somehow jumping the queue for state-provided low-cost housing.

Graphic scenes of township violence last broadcast to the world during the peak of the anti-apartheid struggle during the 1980s are once again undermining attempts to rebuild the country. The rand has taken a knock, there are reports of tourists, conference delegates and business travellers pulling out at the last minute, and analysts warn of investment decisions being postponed .

The question has to be asked: does the government now consider the threat posed by Zimbabwe to the security of its neighbours to be serious enough to justify it being discussed by the UN security council, or must we wait until the situation degenerates from mere ethnic cleansing to genocide?

That is not to say that president Mbeki should've suggested for the army to be called, nor that a state of emergency should be declared. The army personnel are neither trained nor equipped to deal with civilians, and setting companies of armed troops loose leads to an escalation of tensions and a real risk of even worse violence and more deaths.

However, it does mean that Mbeki and his senior ministers in the security sphere should not only take the situation more seriously but be seen to be doing so, including making on-site inspections and speaking directly to the nation rather than trying to play down each new crisis as it occurs. Certainly, any official business Mbeki may have outside the country should be postponed.

The short-term response has to emphasise more effective law enforcement to stop the violence, but in the longer term the underlying causes need to be addressed. Xenophobia is a symptom exhibited by those who have little to lose and more to gain by preying on vulnerable immigrants. As long as there are desperately poor South Africans who see no hope of their lot in life improving, emotional appeals for a rational response are going to be ignored.

Trying to prevent destitute Zimbabweans and other African immigrants from crossing our borders illegally is a waste of time given the state of our border policing system. The best the government can do is set up transit camps with the help of organisations such as the UN to help limit the tide of potential competitors for the already scarce employment opportunities, shelter and services SA's own internal migrants are themselves battling to secure.

Repatriation is inhumane under such circumstances, but failing to recognise the existence of illegal refugees and give them legal status is just as bad, since they have little choice but to undercut poor South Africans who are in no mood to empathise.