South Africa’s GNU faces an uphill battle on migration policy

Migration has become a critical issue in South Africa’s political discourse. The country has adopted progressive asylum and migration policies, but these have not resulted in a pragmatic migration governance approach. Several factors stand in the way, including bureaucratic inefficiencies, the conflation of refugees and migrants, and politicised narratives about immigrants.

With each election cycle, the issue of migration has been amplified to garner votes. Political parties use populist rhetoric and anti-immigration narratives to galvanise support amid rising public dissatisfaction with government service delivery, joblessness and crime.

In 2020, Afrobarometer reported that about half of South Africans believed foreigners should not be allowed to work in the country because they take jobs away from citizens, and 62 per cent felt the government was managing immigration poorly.

While anti-immigrant attitudes and attacks frequently manifest in areas burdened by unemployment, crime and poor service delivery, they are not limited to poorer citizens. Afrobarometer found that those with post-secondary education and living in urban areas, in particular, were less welcoming to foreign workers. This suggests that opposition to immigration is driven less by xenophobia and more by socio-economic concerns – making it difficult to foster social cohesion between locals and foreign-born nationals.

Increased populist rhetoric ahead of the May 2024 national elections fuelled attacks on foreigners, with several parties capitalising on public fears that immigration drives up unemployment and insecurity. The same trend is likely in the run-up to the 2026 local government polls.

The country’s Government of National Unity (GNU) should strive to find common ground and lead the agenda by formulating a pragmatic, sustainable migration governance model. However, finding consensus among the GNU’s 10 political parties won’t be easy. The Inkatha Freedom Party, Patriotic Alliance and Freedom Front Plus emphasise strong border security to limit immigration.

The Inkatha Freedom Party – the fifth biggest in terms of votes and parliamentary seats – advocates for stricter border controls to protect local employment. The Patriotic Alliance, ranked sixth, built its platform on anti-immigrant rhetoric, advocating for stringent immigration policies to safeguard jobs and resources for locals. The Freedom Front Plus, while also focused on tight border control, ties its stance to preserving cultural identity.

The Democratic Alliance – South Africa’s second-largest party – supports attracting skilled immigrants but also advocates for Zimbabwe Exemption Permit holders to regularise their status, acknowledging their legal presence since 2009. This reflects a commitment to lawful immigration beyond a skills focus.

In contrast, the African National Congress has shifted from its Pan-Africanist roots towards stricter immigration enforcement, despite promoting regional integration within the Southern African Development Community (SADC).

The GNU has the opportunity to adopt a progressive, forward-thinking approach to migration. This model should be tailored to different groups, such as economic migrants and refugees, while moving away from a security-driven focus and the stigmatisation of specific migrant categories. But can the GNU reconcile its members’ competing interests and achieve a unified approach?

The country is grappling with 32.9 per cent unemployment, 26 million people relying on social assistance, and 55.5 per cent living in poverty. Without addressing these fundamentals, any migration policy will remain at odds with the country’s deeper structural problems.

Beyond meeting its international obligations, improved migration policy could strengthen regional integration, address South Africa’s labour shortages, enhance economic growth and social cohesion, and formalise the workforce.

The Democratic Alliance’s Leon Schreiber began his tenure as Home Affairs Minister in July with a pro-migrant approach, extending concessions for foreign nationals awaiting visa decisions and granting waivers for Zimbabwe Exemption Permit holders. However, the public backlash against these measures pushed Schreiber to focus on removing undocumented migrant workers. This underscores the pressures on the GNU to balance migrant welfare with public demands for tighter immigration control.

Whether it adopts a more nationalist or liberal stance, South Africa’s direction on migration will have national and international implications.

As a key player in the African Union (AU) and SADC, the country is obliged to uphold regional migration standards. The AU’s Agenda 2063 emphasises the free movement of people as essential for African unity and economic integration. A restrictive approach could isolate South Africa, straining relations with strategic partners like Nigeria and complicating its regional leadership role.

Parties to the GNU need a shared understanding of the political, economic and security dynamics that drive migrant labour into South Africa. Acknowledging these factors is essential to formulate practical migration policies that are sensitive to the regional complexities influencing migration patterns.

At an Institute for Security Studies seminar in August, Home Affairs Head of Policy Sihle Mthiyane stressed the GNU’s commitment to legal migration pathways. But he also acknowledged administrative challenges, including resource constraints and inefficiencies, that could hinder effective policy implementation.

Tackling these problems and addressing corruption – particularly the issuing of fake documentation – are essential to restoring the integrity of South Africa’s migration systems. A more coordinated approach between the Home Affairs and International Relations and Cooperation departments at the executive and directors-general levels is also vital.

Ultimately, the GNU’s approach to migration governance will test its ability to navigate complex and contentious policy issues before the 2026 local elections. That requires crafting policies that are both politically viable and address the socio-economic realities driving anti-immigrant sentiment.

Success depends on balancing immediate public concerns with long-term strategies that integrate migrants, reduce tensions and align with South Africa’s regional and international commitments. How the GNU handles migration could define its legacy and shape the country’s political landscape.

Margaret Monyani, Senior Researcher, Migration, Institute for Security Studiues (ISS) and Mmabatho Mongae, Data Analyst, Good Governance Africa

(This article was first published by ISS Today, a Premium Times syndication partner. We have their permission to republish).