Angolans move to South Africa for safety

August 13 2009 by Rebekah Nahai

Many Angolans move to South Africa

There are 28,000 registered Angolans who currently live in South Africa, according to Angola’s ambassador Miguel Gaspar Neto.

Angolan migrants are scattered widely around the country in areas including Cape Town, Durban, Pretoria, Johannesburg, Pomfret, Phalaborwa, Dingleton, Mafikeng, Upington and Soweto.

The Angolan nationals believe they are better off living in South Africa to avoid the armed conflict in their home country.

Ambassador Neto claims people have moved to South Africa as schools are poor and sickness is rife at home. However, many express commitment to one day returning home to help further development in the country.

The Angolan embassy is attempting to identify and assist those who would like to return home. But Neto noted that many more Angolans who are not registered with the embassy could be living in South Africa and may prove difficult to track down.

Neto says the situation in Angola is now ‘relatively stable’ and that he will involve the Foreign and Social Welfare Ministries in helping Angolan migrants return home.

See the latest Immigration News