Immigration to South Africa - Malawians seek a better life

October 06 2009 by Liam Clifford

Immigration to South Africa is on the increase as Malawi officials appeal for Malawians not to seek a South African visa.

Efforts are being made by the Malawian government to try to deter Malawians from moving to South Africa in search of a better quality of life, immigration to South Africa has boomed in recent months.

An increasing number of people from all over Africa are obtaining South African visas or even moving to South Africa illegally, sources within the Government fear that illegal immigration into South Africa may damage it’s economy in the long-run. Malawi’s minister of internal affairs Aaron Sangala is supporting this stance and is trying to persuade people to remain in Malawi.

Sangala has gone so far as to claim that immigration to South Africa by Malawians is “unpatriotic” to their home country.

The statement from the minister follows South Africa’s moves to deport hundreds of people from Malawi who were living in South Africa illegally. When asked about the deportation, Sangala said that the removal of illegals was "normal" adding, “each country has its own rules.”

This was part of South Africa’s crackdown on illegal immigrants in preparation for the World Cup in 2010, which is expected to boost the country’s economy. This, in turn, will lead to an ever-larger number of people wanting to settle in South Africa legally and obtaining the necessary South African visas.

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