Business Unity South Africa (BUSA) is concerned about the violence that have erupted against foreign nationals and the gross violence of their human rights. In an environment where our economy is experiencing fiscal constraints and where economic growth is not at the level required to create the much needed jobs in order to achieve the NDP vision 2030, the last thing we need is a further dent on investor confidence. The continued violence against foreign nationals is sending a negative message to the international business community and could potentially affect South African businesses that are operating in the region and the continent.
While we welcome and support the leadership shown by government in dealing with this matter, we urgently call for an end to the violence and the killing of innocent people. South Africa’s political stability makes the country highly attractive to immigrants; South Africa has entered into bilateral and multilateral trade agreements which amongst others facilitate the movement of goods and people into South Africa from the region and the continent. While we do not support illegal and undocumented foreign nationals to enter South Africa, we have confidence in our immigration framework and administrative institutions and we believe government should deal with illegal migrants within the parameters of our legal framework. We urge all South Africans to respect our Constitution and have confidence in the processes facilitated by our political leadership to deal with this matter.
We acknowledge that unemployment in South Africa especially amongst the youth has reached unacceptable levels and that poverty and inequality remains a big challenge, business remains committed to working with government to find solutions that would contribute to a better South Africa and a greater Africa where nation building and social cohesion co-exists.
By BUSA (Business Unity South Africa)
