A story in The Economist entitled “Drawbridges Up” discusses geopolitical openness in a post-Brexit world facing a continuing refugee crisis, along with the possibility of Donald Trump’s presidency. Immigration lawyer Gary Eisenberg sees similar barriers going up in South Africa.
From Rand Daily Mail. Story by Claire van den Heever
The new divide in rich countries, The Economist article says, is not between the political left and right, but “open” versus “closed.”
Is South Africa raising its drawbridges, or is it as open for business as President Jacob Zuma would have us believe?
Immigration lawyer Gary Eisenberg has watched for two decades as South Africa emerged from an era of enforced isolation, only to erect the same barriers to trade and capital flows that restricted the economy pre-1994.
“Barriers to trade and foreign direct investment are not always immediately visible,” says Eisenberg, recalling the U.S. and Japan’s strained economic relationship in the 1980s. “What the U.S. found particularly worrying was that, while Japan ascribed to low quotas and tariffs for the purposes of trade, its bureaucratic and cultural manner of transacting business constituted barriers to the importation of U.S. goods, services and capital.”
Eisenberg detects many of these same barriers today in South Africa – to foreigners’ entry, imports, and the personnel accompanying foreign direct investment.
Eisenberg challenged the government in High Court when it denied the Dalai Lama’s visa application ahead of Archbishop Desmond Tutu’s 80th birthday party in 2011. The Tibetan leader-in-exile was forced to cancel his trip. For Eisenberg, the case represented a flagrant disregard of the constitution and Bill of Rights. The blatant kowtow to China would not be easily forgotten on the international stage.
“The president flies around the world proclaiming that South Africa is open for business,” says Eisenberg. In reality, this openness has fizzled with Zuma’s ascension.
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15 Things You Didn’t Know About The Maasai People
Africa is home to some of the last surviving traditional cultures on Earth. The Maasai people, one of the best-known tribes, are recognized for their unique and ancient rituals, attire and beliefs. But they are slowly modernizing, and more and more younger members are leaving their homelands and traditions for life in the city. Here are 15 things you didn’t know about the Maasai people of Kenya and Tanzania.
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Is Namibia discouraging self-deportation?
THABANI Ndlovu, a Zimbabwean national, arrived at the Trans Kalahari Border Control shortly after Namibia’s immigration offices closed at around 11PM on September 4.
Ndlovu, who lives in South Africa, was travelling with his brother and cousin in a sedan.
“We completed immigration formalities on the Botswana side, but when we got to the Namibian side the immigration office was closed for the day, although the gate was still open,” says his brother, David.
“The guys at the gate asked us for our passport, we presented them and we were allowed to go.”
On September 9, Ndlovu – who works in South Africa – jumped on an early morning bus to return to Johannesburg, via Gaborone.
Arriving at the Trans Kalahari Border Post, an immigration officer queried why he had no entry stamp on his passport. His attempts to explain away the anomaly did not help him, and he was promptly detained as an illegal immigrant. He was awaiting court this week.
If it were South Africa, Ndlovu’s passport would have been endorsed and he would have been banned from the country for at least five years. But he would be let go, not detained.
Namibia’s tough approach, immigration experts said this week, is not helping the country rid itself of illegal immigrants through self-deportation as many fear spending time in prison or paying hefty fines.
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Opinion: South Africa Discriminates Against Foreigners Despite Acute Need For Skills
A story in The Economist entitled “Drawbridges Up” discusses geopolitical openness in a post-Brexit world facing a continuing refugee crisis, along with the possibility of Donald Trump’s presidency. Immigration lawyer Gary Eisenberg sees similar barriers going up in South Africa.
From Rand Daily Mail. Story by Claire van den Heever
The new divide in rich countries, The Economist article says, is not between the political left and right, but “open” versus “closed.”
Is South Africa raising its drawbridges, or is it as open for business as President Jacob Zuma would have us believe?
Immigration lawyer Gary Eisenberg has watched for two decades as South Africa emerged from an era of enforced isolation, only to erect the same barriers to trade and capital flows that restricted the economy pre-1994.
“Barriers to trade and foreign direct investment are not always immediately visible,” says Eisenberg, recalling the U.S. and Japan’s strained economic relationship in the 1980s. “What the U.S. found particularly worrying was that, while Japan ascribed to low quotas and tariffs for the purposes of trade, its bureaucratic and cultural manner of transacting business constituted barriers to the importation of U.S. goods, services and capital.”
Eisenberg detects many of these same barriers today in South Africa – to foreigners’ entry, imports, and the personnel accompanying foreign direct investment.
Eisenberg challenged the government in High Court when it denied the Dalai Lama’s visa application ahead of Archbishop Desmond Tutu’s 80th birthday party in 2011. The Tibetan leader-in-exile was forced to cancel his trip. For Eisenberg, the case represented a flagrant disregard of the constitution and Bill of Rights. The blatant kowtow to China would not be easily forgotten on the international stage.
“The president flies around the world proclaiming that South Africa is open for business,” says Eisenberg. In reality, this openness has fizzled with Zuma’s ascension.
Source
Global anti-human trafficking project launched in SA
The Department of Home Affairs‚ together with the European Union and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC)‚ on Thursday launched a system that seeks to strengthen the criminal justice response to human trafficking and the smuggling of migrants.
The project‚ known as the Global Action to Prevent and Address Trafficking in Persons and the Smuggling of Migrants (GLO-ACT)‚ is a four-year joint initiative between the EU and the UNODC whereby 13 countries were “strategically” selected across the world.
South Africa was one of them. The project‚ initiated last year but launched in South Africa on Thursday‚ will be implemented in partnership with the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef) until 2019.
“We welcome this partnership with the EU and the UN Office on Drugs and Crime under the Action to Prevent and Address Trafficking in Persons and the Smuggling of Migrants. The UNODC is well placed to assist countries in addressing and combating these challenges‚” said Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba at the launch.
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