South Africa will implement comprehensive reforms to its immigration, citizenship and refugee protection system in line with national security and economic priorities, the Home Department said on Wednesday.
Cabinet last week approved a revised white paper on citizenship, immigration and refugee protection, which the department has called the most fundamental policy reform in a generation.
The department said it would begin the process of drafting and introducing in Parliament the necessary legislative amendments to implement the revised White Paper.
Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber welcomed cabinet approval, saying, “The policy direction outlined in the revised White Paper shows a new path for our country to build modern, efficient and secure systems that serve South Africa's interests.”
Schreiber said, “We will now work with the same focus and determination to translate the revised white paper into legislative amendments that will consolidate and comprehensively reform our nation's citizenship, immigration, and refugee protection systems, ensuring they are fit for generations to come.”
Under the reforms, South Africa will adopt the first safe country principle, whereby asylum seekers who have already been granted refugee status or lawful protection in another country, or who transit through safe third countries before reaching South Africa, will generally be ineligible for asylum. The department said the change is intended to prevent abuse of the asylum system.
The reforms also introduce a merit-based approach to naturalization, moving from residence-based criteria to considering skills and investments when granting citizenship.
According to local media reports, South Africa currently hosts asylum seekers and refugees from countries including Pakistan, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Somalia, Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Malawi. Officials estimate the population at about 250,000 to 260,000.
Source: by Xinhua