University of Cambridge

Global Security Fellows Initiative
Occasional Paper No. 7

Speaking with Many Voices: South African Immigration Policy, April 1994 - December 1995

by
Maxine Reitzes


ABSTRACT

Immigration in Southern Africa has been a highly controversial and public issue since the first national democratic election in South Africa in 1994. Between 1994 and 1995, an apparent increase in the number of foreigners illegally entering the country has been accompanied by a rise in xenophobia. This study reviews immigration policy and debate between April 1994 and December 1995 and explores the apparent contradictions and incoherence that characterised government response.

[Full text of this paper.]
[Back to list of occasional papers.]


The opinions expressed in this paper are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Pew Charitable Trusts.


Ms. Maxine Reitzes is a Senior Policy Researcher and Analyst at the Centre for Policy Studies in Johannesburg. Her primary work focuses on the research and formation of policy in immigration; she also researches issues of civil society and the state, and human rights. Before joining the Centre, Ms. Reitzes was a Lecturer in the Department of Political Studies at Rhodes University in South Africa, and before that she lectured for five years in Political Studies at the University of Bophuthatswana. Ms. Reitzes holds the M.A. (with distinction) in Social and Political Theory from Sussex University, England; she was also awarded full academic colours by Rhodes University on completion of her Honours degree (with distinction) in Political Studies. Ms. Reitzes served as an elected national vice president of the Union of Democratic University Staff Associations of South Africa (UDUSA) from 1992-'93 and has engaged in voluntary para-legal work and human rights advocacy through the Black Sash; she was an elected member of this organisation's Albany executive in Grahamstown.