'Settlers' invade SA
2006-11-23 14:55
Johannesburg - Since 1980 more than 10.3 million foreigners who entered South Africa legally, never declared their departure, an employment report released on Thursday showed.
The report, called the 4th South African Employment Report, was compiled by T-Sec economist Mike Schussler on behalf of trade union Uasa.
The report showed that the number of foreign visitors, who never declared their departure, had increased from 65 000 per month in 2005 to more than 85 000 per month in 2006.
Since 1988 to June this year, South Africa deported 2.459 million illegal immigrants, the report showed. Last year, the country deported 209 988 illegal aliens while the United States, which has a well-publicised immigration problem, deported only 186 000, according to the report.
The report noted that if South Africa was deporting only 20% of the illegal immigrants more than 9.84 million people were illegal immigrants. It viewed this as a "possible" scenario.
More Zimbabweans employed in SA than Zim itself
"Between 1991 and 2005 the department of home affairs recorded the births of more than 3.1 million people born in South Africa before 1991. This means that this part of the population was at least 15 years old when registering their birth," the report stated.
"The numbers are staggering to say the least, specifically when viewed against the actual 2006 population numbers," the researchers said.
They added that more than 6.5% of the total Mozambique population had been deported from South Africa since 1994. A total of 4.3% of Zimbabwe, 4% of Lesotho and 2.5% of Swaziland populations have been deported from South Africa since 1994.
Noting that most deportees were from Zimbabwe, Uasa urged the government to address the situation in that country.
"At present, less than 1.2 million Zimbabweans are employed in their country. Uasa estimates that more Zimbabweans are employed in South Africa than Zimbabwe itself," the union said.
The report comes soon after the SABC's Special Assignment aired footage of widespread corruption in the department of home affairs offices, which showed a Zimbabwean woman easily buying ID documents and birth certificates.
I-Net Bridge (Business)