South Africa’s migration debate intensifies as leaders warn against restrictive policies

At the Kgalema Motlanthe Foundation Winter Seminar in Johannesburg, former president Kgalema Motlanthe warned that anti‑migrant protests and restrictive immigration measures will not solve South Africa’s high unemployment, emphasizing that migration has been central to the country’s economic development for over a century and that heavy‑handed policies could lead to lawlessness and “near anarchy”.

Standard Bank Group CEO Sim Tshabalala also addressed the gathering, urging policymakers to base migration policy on evidence rather than rhetoric. He described migrants as contributors to production, consumption, and investment, and cited Brexit as a cautionary example of how restricting mobility can undermine growth. Tshabalala highlighted migrants’ roles as taxpayers, entrepreneurs and borrowers that deepen financial markets.