Immigrants make up only 6.5% of South Africa’s population, but contribute 9% to the GDP. This is according to a report by the Institute for Security Studies and the University of Johannesburg, which has refuted several widespread anti-immigrant claims. The report pointed to the real cause of social ills in South Africa as poor governance and corruption, not immigration.
It also highlighted that South Africa loses an estimated R27 billion annually to corruption, more than one-third of the 2021/22 national health budget. The report further found that politicians and anti-immigrant groups have wildly exaggerated immigrant numbers, with almost half of South African believing their claims. In fact, there are only 3.95 million immigrants, or 6.5% of the population, in line with international norms and only 10% of what South Africans widely believe.
Yet, since 1994, there have been more than 930 xenophobic attacks recorded, resulting in more than 630 deaths, the displacement of 123 700 people, and the looting of 4 850 shops. The report highlighted that immigrants make up 5.3% of the labour market, and that each immigrant worker generates approximately two jobs for locals. Immigrants contribute roughly 9% of GDP and have a positive net fiscal impact, the report stated.
Senior researcher at the University of Johannesburg’s Centre for Social Development in Africa, Anthony Kaziboni, said that the research was conducted against a backdrop of rising anti-immigrant sentiment in the country. “It has become even more relevant now, because the issues immigrants are being blamed for, particularly by politicians and senior government officials, are high crime; failing public services, such as healthcare; taking jobs from locals while making no positive contribution; and being in the country illegally, among others,” he said. “Scapegoating as a phenomenon is by no means unique to South Africa.
It follows the same pattern in the United States under President [Donald] Trump, whose second-term rhetoric and enforcement have routinely blamed Latin American immigrants, Mexican, Venezuelan and others, for crime and social strain, deflecting attention from domestic governance failures in much the same way.” Lizette Lancaster, head of the ISS Crime Hub, said anti-immigrant rhetoric and sentiment have been growing over the last few years, and that their research found that 42% of South …
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