Emigration tide broken?

2003-05-14 22:09

Hannah Jansen

Cape Town - South Africa's good economic performance while the world economy was in a slump led to a 35% increase in immigration to South Africa last year.

The number of South Africans who left the country dropped by more than 11% in 2002 compared to the figures in 2001.

Statistics South Africa (SSA) says emigration levels are down to 2000 levels. This could be an indication that the emigration tide has been broken.

SSA figures show that most of the immigrants (10.2%) came from Britain, followed by Nigeria (9.6%) and India (9.3%). However, the number of Nigerians entering the country tripled last year.

Leslie Mashokwe, spokesperson for home affairs, says the drop in emigration and rising immigration can be attributed to increased confidence in South Africa.

"After 1994, the world expected us to become a banana republic, but we have shown that we are a true democracy."

Prof Simon Bekker of the University of Stellenbosch believes that South Africa's above average economic performance is the main reason for the change in migration figures.

He says migration streams are nothing more than an international labour supply and demand issue.

- Die Burger