At the conference it became clear that the SA government intended to tackle the immigration issue in two phases. A draft refugee bill, which honours the government's international obligations in domestic law, has been drafted and can go before Parliament in 1998. The draft bill needs a final iteration, incorporating some if not all of the progressive features outlined in the Green Paper. In the more controversial area of general immigration, the inclination is to tackle new legislation slowly and with great care. This particularly so as the new Director-General of Home Affairs rightfully does not wish to rush into anything and seeks to put his own stamp on to the process of policy reform.
Patience is often more prudent than speed.
South Africans also face a run-up to the 1999 election and it would be desirable to shelter discussion on immigration issues from the politicking of the fourth coming campaign. It would not serve the nation's interests to subject decision making on so explosive an issue to the narrow self-interest of parties seeking to gain electoral advantage. Many changes can however be made to the immigration regime prior to the rewriting of legislation. For example, the inter-governmental agreements governing the system of migrant labour to the mines can be renegotiated and one hopes that the Chamber of Mines has already initiated the appropriate political process. Improving security capacity without resorting to the draconian measures developed under apartheid, does not require new legislation.