AfriForum says state should rather discourage emigration and win emigrants back, than to recruit foreign skilled labour - offers to help
The civil rights initiative AfriForum has taken note of the Department of Home Affairs' intention to recruit 50 000 people with scarce skills from outside Africa for the local labour market (see BusinessLive report). AfriForum however is of the opinion that the state should rather focus on keeping skilled labour in South Africa and attracting South African expats back home, than to facilitate large-scale immigration.
AfriForum is prepared to assist the state in this regard by means of this organisation's Come Home Campaign, and has requested the Department to meet to discuss this option.
According to Alana Bailey, Deputy CEO of AfriForum, it is ironic that the Department announces a campaign of this nature at the same time as when it becomes known that a growing number of foreign investors are no longer considering South Africa as investment destination, and that more South Africans want to leave their country of birth in response to the statements made by Julius Malema and the ANC Youth League regarding nationalisation and expropriation.
"If the state and the ruling party had really been serious about the retention of skills in South Africa, their first step would have been to take a strong stand against these statements," Bailey said.
"Secondly they would have to focus on bringing skilled South Africans home. The relocation and adaptation of immigrants require a huge budget and much time. The process very often fails as well. The fact that xenophobic attacks (yet another issue that the state fails to address) are on the increase once more, will not help the process either.
South Africans know the local culture and the South African work environment and therefore will be optimally productive within a shorter time span than an immigrant. It is high time for the state to acknowledge this fact and to reach out to expat and unemployed South Africans by means of proof that the employment of skilled workers in crucial positions are of greater importance to them than affirmative action targets, BEE requirements and cadre redeployment.
AfriForum has therefore asked the Department of Home Affairs to meet, in order to discuss these issues and to explore possible cooperation in the process of bringing skilled South African emigrants back home. "These South Africans' contribution to the local economy will be to the benefit of all South Africans," Bailey added.
Statement issued by Alana Bailey, Deputy CEO: AfriForum, June 24 2011
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