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The unemployment time-bomb

I was reading one article from one writer in this forum a few weeks ago about the NHI. What caught my eye on his article was our unemployment rate and its position in the global ranking. I started researching why it is so high as compared to our fellow economic struggler in the BRICS Brazil. Their rate is 5.5% as compared to South Africa’s 25% which I still dispute even now because I believe it is around 50% or more.

In Soweto for an example, I don’t know any house that has more than 5 adults whom are all working in formal employment. In certain rare instances only 4 of those are working but in most cases it is either 3 or less of them that are working. In some instances there is none. In most instances where there is none there normally are a few individuals if not all with educational qualifications.

There are many factors that contribute to our unemployment but the one that stands out is the high number of immigrants both documented and undocumented. All those undocumented normally make use of fraudulently obtained South African I.D. books. These I.Ds offer advantages over legal documents because you don’t need to go to any home affairs offices periodically and also do not require any accompanying documents like work permits when applying for a job. This is the preferred route among Zimbabweans and Mozambicans as it only needs anything from R3000 and above.

We have been told that South Africa’s tourism industry has bounced back from the previous decline as the number of tourists increased to just over 1 million in 2015. The minister further observed that the majority of those are from the other countries in the African continent. This at first glance looks to be a good thing but on further scrutiny you will realise that a number of those that come here never go back home as they come here to visit family and the next think you know they have South African born I.D documents. I have highlighted this on my previous article that you can read below if you like. Some come here legally to visit family members who are here illegally or have overstayed.

http://www.news24.com/MyNews24/Fake-South-Africans-20150723

What vindicates me on the above article is the new stance that New Zealand has taken as from November going forward. They too have noticed a number of fake South African Passports that have been obtained fraudulently that even French speaking people from North Africa are producing when applying for permits that side. Unlike South Africa, they have decided to do something about it and are now requiring anyone from S.A. to first obtain a VISA when going there no matter the reason for the visit.

After reading the below article,

https://africacheck.org/reports/is-south-africa-the-largest-recipient-of-asylum-seekers-worldwide-the-numbers-dont-add-up/   

I felt like going straight to home affairs to give a hot clap to home affairs Malusi Gigaba for allowing so many people to this country as this is the main cause of our suffering which has resulted in the increase in the support for the ever crazy EFF which is born out of anger at the ANC’s failures most of which have to do with unemployment and the record breaking corruption.

Let us be honest here. No matter how big or rich your country is it is a fact that you cannot keep accepting refugees for ever. South Africa has the highest reported number of applications pending at any stage of the asylum procedure. The number of asylum seekers at the end of 2014 in South Africa was 1 057 600. The next highest was Germany, at 420 600 but Germany has decided to do something about it. What about South Africa?????

You must reach a point where you say it is enough. I personally believe we reached that stage years ago here in South Africa. This is the best reason to give in denying refugee statuses. I still don’t understand why our government is not seeking assistance from the AU and the SADC.

The EFF is worse on this one as Malema has made it clear that he is going to open the borders if he becomes president. Scary indeed. The D.A. on the other hand has stayed clear of this issue as I cannot recall any statements made by them in this regard. I don’t know if they are for or against.

The issue of migration has tended to raise its head on all the European meetings among its member states. They have just received around a million people from the Middle East but have already taken action about that with the UK voting to take their future back to their hands leaving this European madness. The USA on the other has seen an unlikely rise to power of Donald Trump simply by using immigration as a card to the voter’s hearts.

While we are on the issue of Donald Trump, I could not believe it when he spoke about illegal Mexicans coming to the USA and the problems they bring with them. It was like he was talking about Zimbabweans in South Africa. He spoke about Mexicans committing crime and in S.A. it is the same thing with over 80% of farm attacks and other crimes believed to be committed by the Zimbos. The Nigerians competing against one another in bringing the most devastating drug you can contort. Donald Trump also mentions the fact that over 6 Billion dollars is sucked out of the US every year as remittances to Mexico both using formal and informal channels. This is also the case with the Zimbos who are doing the same by sending a reported 4 Billion as of 2015 as reported by FNB.

At least in America Donald Trump has decided to do something about this but here in S.A. it is getting worse and worse.

No matter how big your job creation project is but because there are a large number of job seekers both South Africans and non-South Africans, there will never be enough. If on the other hand we do succeed in creating millions of jobs, those that are here legally will bring their relatives to come grab a seat on the gravy train. No matter how you look at, it brings you to the same conclusion that this is not going to help. The sooner we close our borders the better.

My solution. The department of Home Affairs must establish a committee that goes to all big companies checking the authenticity of their employees I.D’s. those with fraudulent documents must be arrested and deported and the company fined for not taking all precautionary steps in making sure that they do the right thing. Kick-starting the border management unit that is said to be starting next year to start ASAP. This alone with result in a number of jobs opening up for South Africans.

On a departing note, I do know for sure that some apologists and those with relatives outside will merely dismiss this article as from a Xenophobe who is trying to incite violence. To you I say that it is only a matter of time that you find yourself unemployed while people from far away are working. Maybe then you will blame the global economic decline as the scape goat but believe me another Xenophobic attack is coming.

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