by Lance Claasen
South Africa has an official unemployment rate of 32.7%, the biggest gap between rich and poor in the world and a fight against poverty that is stalling at best. Yet over two million migrants across Africa view South Africa as land of opportunity. It is natural for South Africans living on the margins to look at those who have crossed our borders as the interlopers of their moment to succeed.
While South Africa needs secure borders and those who cross them must do so legally. If Africa is to succeed, it must do so as a collective rather than as individual nation states. It is like having a nice house in a bad neighbourhood; the value of the house will not increase, no matter how much the homeowner invests in it. Africa must improve its neighbourhood so that all its peoples can prosper.
It is an indictment against African leaders that, for Africans to thrive, they must leave their homes, undertake perilous journeys, and endure all sorts of dangers to arrive in a place where they are not welcomed. For a continent to treat its best, brightest and most ambitious in this way is a sin.
How can a country succeed if the only option for those who want to make a life for themselves are pushed out. It is horrible that many African governments look on their people as a problem, that must be outsourced to another country.
The push factors of migrants are real.
The pull factors of SA’s sophisticated economy, coupled with the ease of crossing a porous border, puts little in the form of resistance to migrants. The thought that some consider living in a shack on the cold highveld a better option than remaining in their country of birth is a terrifying prospect.
Going on social media and a search for “South African culture shock”, you will come across loads of African content creators talking about SA in glowing terms. They marvel at our roads, healthcare system and the fact that we queue orderly for services. They talk about SA as if we are the USA.
One thing that will surprise South Africans is that they love our political leaders in that they are responsive to the needs of South Africans. When we protest, leaders react. Accountability to citizens and the robust nature of our freedom of speech is deeply respected. They tend to like the forthright nature of South Africans and that we are deeply patriotic.
So many of them want to transfer these attributes we carry to their home countries. That is why they enjoy being here.
The overwhelming majority of migrants are not blood thirsty rapist and drug dealers, but very ordinary people wanting a better life for themselves and their children. This must happen in the boundaries of the law.
The law must be clear, unambiguous and enforced. An unenforced law is as useful as a broken law. It needs to create a path for those wanting to be part of SA society and protect those with little means from being robbed by imported victims of exploitation.
Those that transgress the law need to be prosecuted to its full extent.
This is the job of the state and not citizens.
While the SA government has been rightly criticised for being tardy in its approach and lazy to enforce the law, those born elsewhere and who want to call SA home must understand the painful journey of SA’s past. They must look for ways to integrate themselves into SA society and not view the South African population through lazy, outdated stereotypes.
To transform the African neighbourhood, from what one leader called “S-Hole countries”, we need to change, not for him, but for our children. African markets need more integration. While it seems a contradiction, the entwining of economies has proven a major success.
Two European countries France and Germany were mortal competitors and enemies for over 75 years, during which the fought three devastating wars. Yet, since 1945, they have been at a prosperous peace. They put their arms aside and decided to integrate their economies. This laid the foundation for the EU as we know it today. It did not start as a multitude of nations but started as alliance of trade and values between 6 countries.
The Africa Free Trade Agreement is a step in the right direction. A better step has been taken by neighbours Namibia and Botswana, whose citizens can travel passport free between each other. They can do it because, both economies are well run and they share similar values. Their populations are small and there is limited danger of mass migration drastically changing the population make-up of their respective countries.
African integration
Countries must be well managed to enter the club of borderless trade. The EU took 40 years and created a standard of good governance for all newcomers’ nations to join. The same should happen for African countries.
African governments should not pay lip service to integration, celebrate Africa Day and think their job is done. Each African government should have a ministry of African integration and consciously work towards bringing us closer together in a coordinated way. Clear targets and standards must be met to enter the club of borderless nations.
For SA to make a significant dent in the 32.7% unemployment rate, breach the gap between rich and poor and make a significant dent in the fight against poverty.
No country can thrive in a struggling neighbourhood.
If Africa is to succeed, it must do so together, through integration, shared standards, and accountable governance.
The choice is simple: we either build stronger nations together, or we continue to export our people in search of opportunity elsewhere.
The future of South Africa depends on the future of Africa.
Lance Claasen is the National Editor for News and Current Affairs at SABC News
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