Widespread opposition to immigrants

A survey on South Africans attitudes towards immigrants and migration has revealed that the majority of citizens are opposed to an immigration policy that might welcome newcomers. Conducted by the Southern African Migration Project (SAMP), the survey found that about 25 percent of South Africans want a total ban on immigration, and 45 percent support strict limits on the numbers of immigrants to be allowed into the country. SAMP said only 17 percent of South Africans would support a more flexible policy tied to the availability of jobs, while a mere 6 percent support a totally open policy of immigration. "This is the highest level of opposition to immigration recorded by any country in the world where comparable questions have been asked," said SAMP. The survey said while whites and blacks are equally opposed to immigration and immigrants, the specific reasons differ. It said, however, that there are some noticeable differences among racial groups, with Africans and Asians adopting the most restrictive attitudes, but said support for a restrictionist approach is shared by all South Africans. SAMP added that importantly, these attitudes cut across income groups, age groups and groups with very different levels of education. It said public opinion has become more hostile over the past two years. "Preference for a flexible policy tied to the availability of jobs has decreased from 27 percent to 19 percent and support for total prohibition has increased from 16 percent to 25 percent," the survey pointed out. SAMP argues that the public's attitudes is not helped by the South African government's campaign of deportation of foreigners living in the country "illegally". It points out that since 1990, over one million people have been removed, with over 99 percent of these to the Southern African Development Community (SADC) states and 82 percent to Mozambique. These deportations, carried out religiously every week, are done under the provisions of the apartheid-era Aliens Control Act by the country's home affairs department. The survey said the attitudes to these deportations are consistent with attitudes toward general immigration policy. It said about 4 percent of South Africans oppose the practice of returning people to their home country. About 32 percent of South Africans, said SAMP, support an expulsion policy restricted to people who are in the country without official permission, while 17 percent support expulsion of those who have committed crimes. SAMP added that a further 17 percent support a policy of returning those, such as the unemployed, who are not contributing to the economy, and 21 percent favour the expulsions of all non-citizens. "With only minor differences, these attitudes are widely shared across race, income, education and age," said SAMP.