The DA says it is committed to liberal democratic values that go beyond a crude nationalism, best typified by the Trumpian call to simply build a wall.? (David Harrison/M&G)
According to the Democratic Alliance (DA), the department of home affairs has failed in its mandate to secure the country’s borders because it is “crippled by corruption and inefficiency”.
In a statement released on Monday, DA MP Jacques Julius presented the party’s immigration plan aimed at securing the country’s borders and stopping illegal immigration.
Julius said the impact of “porous borders” and the incompetence of the home affairs department has “created a situation where we are completely unaware of the number of people who come in and out of the country” which has serious implications for the country and its economy.
Some of the consequences of failed border management that are listed in the party’s immigration plan document include cross-border crime, the exploitation of vulnerable undocumented migrants and human trafficking.
Another major issue, according to the party, is how foreign nationals “have become victims of prejudicial harassment and violence” because the perception amongst South Africans is that “immigrants, who may well be in South African legally, have entered the country illegally and take jobs or commit crime.”
According to the party, no country in the world can afford to not secure its borders because uncontrolled immigration violates the rights of both nationals of a given country and foreign nationals who seek to be legally recognised.
Julius said the DA is “the only party capable of fixing immigration and border security which has crumbled under the failing ANC” and that the party’s plan “will bring law and order and protect the interests of those who reside and move within our country legally.”
The DA’s immigration plan is to create order by:
- Strengthening border security by reviewing the number and size of border posts and their management.
- Removing corruption and inefficiency at home affairs through an investigation into the department and banning any officials found guilty of corruption or fraud from working for government. The party also plans to improve the technology and systems that the department uses.
- Ensure undocumented immigrants are regularised or “assisted in leaving the country if they do not meet the criteria for remaining in the country”. This would require a system to record undocumented foreign nationals already in the country.
- Assist, support and care for legitimate refugees and asylum seekers.
- Attract foreign nationals with scarce skills to the country to help grow the economy and create jobs.
The DA says it is committed to “liberal democratic values” that go beyond “a crude nationalism, best typified by the Trumpian call to simply build a wall.”
Read the DA’s full immigration plan here:
DA Immigrantion Plan 15 October 2018 by Mail and Guardian on Scribd