Skilled migrants recognised

In an interview with BuaNews, Dumile Dube, a Zimbabwean national, said as a qualified teacher he was looking forward to using his skills.

I was born a teacher, and I think it is my calling. God gave the talent and I must uplift lives of people in our African society. I have been working as a security guard for the past four years since I came to South Africa, but in reality that it is not fair because I am a skilled man. I would like to thank the government for granting us opportunity to explore our skills, he said.

South African was hit by xenophobia in 2008 after its frustrated unemployed citizens attacked foreigners for allegedly taking their jobs and wives. Zimbabweans were the most affected as many of them lost their property and suffered a lot of injuries.

Last Week, Busi Mkhwebane-Tshehla, Acting Chief Director of Refugee Affairs at the Department of Home Affairs, said during the launch of the Johannesburg Migration Advisory Committee (JMAC) at the weekend that her department was revisiting its immigration policy, which distinguished economic asylum-seekers from other asylum-seekers.

We are now looking at amending the acts to grant immediate permanent residence to those with scarce skills,” she said.

Two weeks ago, Johannesburg mayor, Amos Masondo, launched the committee to ensure that migrants in the city felt like they belonged.

Migrants contribute to enhancing the richness and cultural diversity of a city. Through new forms of artistic expression and involvement in competitive sport, they create a better, more vibrant social “scape” for the city, said Masondo.

The JMAC is a body mandated to come up with a strategy to develop regulations and procedures aimed at coordinating and promoting the integration of migrants across the city and to oversee its implementation.

South Africa is home to millions of foreign nationals, the highest number of them Zimbabweans who have fled the political and economic crisis that battered their country over the past decade.