Answer to Question #215430 in Political Science for Kamogelo Moloko

Question

In the Green Paper, it has been argued that change is needed in SA's international

migration policy.

This change is needed because of many recent developments in the

country, region and the world.

Identify and discuss one of these developments. Then, decide whether the Green Paper

either does or does not succeed in responding to this development. Justify your

response.

Answer 1

The Department of Home Affairs (DHA) updated the Committee on its progress in developing a new White Paper on International Migration and solicited feedback on the content of the Green Paper. It has set a deadline of 31 March 2017 for submitting a White Paper on International Migration to Cabinet for approval.

The existing policy on international migration was put forth in the 1999 White Paper on International Migration, according to the DHA, which provided background on the Green Paper. It was partially implemented through the Refugees Act 130 of 1998 and partly through the Immigration Act No. 13 of 2002. To address apparent gaps in legislation, the DHA has recently updated immigration and refugee policy, as well as created regulations and plans. However, a full evaluation of the policy framework was required in order to inform systematic legislative reform. Despite substantial changes in the country, region, and world, the government's formal international immigration policy had remained mostly unchanged since 1999. The DHA had performed a complete evaluation of the existing international migration policy in light of this. Malusi Gigaba, the Minister of Home Affairs, had made developing a new international migration strategy one of his major goals during his period in office.