Recently the SAWIP team had a discussion on Immigration and human rights. What was indeed a heated and intriguing discussion, one concept stuck to my mind and hasn’t left me alone since.

Being a science student and having very limited knowledge about anything else, I found this dialogue to be quite informative. From speaking to the history of immigration into the United States by Mexicans, statelessness of refugees and Immigration into South-Africa, we flared at one another over moral and legal issues. This argument between what is legal and what is moral dominated the conversation. It seemed that we all want to do the right and moral thing, but we are constrained by the law, particularly laws governing each country or state around the world. These laws make it difficult to find common ground. How can the world try and find common solution to this pressing concern when every country is grounded by a different set of laws, despite the fact that we all believe ourselves to be grounded by a common set of morals? This seems to be where the controversy comes in, we struggle to decide whether to govern by law or morals so we try and make certain morals our laws/rights (South-Africa’s constitutions for example). Yet living by these moral set of laws is a constant problem when we face an uncomfortable and uncertain situation like immigration.

Upon learning about the complexity and controversy of this issue, I couldn’t help but jump in and ask; “Has anyone ever considered the diverse and often critical skill-set immigrants bring to a particular country?” Looking specifically at a developing country such as South-Africa, who is in dire need of practical skills to uplift its economic status. The consensus was that government hasn’t looked into this, in fact I don’t think government has ever considered this. I truly believe this could potentially be a great solution and reconciliation mechanism toward overcoming xenophobia, if government looks at it from this angle. My observation with immigrants around South-Africa has been this; they are incredibly skilled both practically and entrepreneurially. It is precisely for this that many South-Africans loath immigrants, because they are empowered and use their skills to make a living. I reckon we as South-Africans seek empowerment and feel entitled toward it, so when we see a non-South-African having the skills and opportunities we feel belongs to us, it breads despair building up to xenophobia. In fact, xenophobia in essence is not just the fear of foreigners, but the fear of being replaced by foreigners. The fear that our livelihood is being hijacked by people that are so called “not one of us”. In this regard we see the bellowing violence on foreigners spread across our nation, in a desperate attempt to get rid of foreigners before they “take over”.

I feel this could all be avoided if there was a platform or institution that can be constructed in such a way that immigrants wanting to come to South-Africa, can simultaneously be employed and deployed to share their expertise with our nation. In doing so, create a balance whereby foreigners do not take jobs that “belong” to South-African citizens, but that they be treated as teachers to educate and empower our people, especially our youth, that will be skilled enough to claim what “belongs” to them. I realise this is a much heated and complex issue, but I know if worked on it with diligence, persistence and dedication, and in collaboration with government, small businesses and the people, this is possible. Xenophobia can be eradicated, if people could be shown the potential benefit foreigners bring to our beautiful country.