Do immigrants cause crime?

Although the media and the police paint immigrants as evil criminals, the facts show that immigrants are hardly ever involved in crime. In 1996, only 257 Mozambicans, 65 Zimbabweans and 94 people from Lesotho were arrested for criminal offences.

Many people are wrong when they think that Zairians and Nigerians are involved in drug smuggling. In 1996, only 1 Zairian and 7 Nigerians were arrested for drug dealing.

The real crime is the savage exploitation of immigrants on the farms and other industries. Many immigrants are not even paid- when it comes to pay day the fat cat boss calls the police and has the workers deported.

The real crime is the racist Aliens Control Act. Between 1988 and 1993, the apartheid regime deported 96,600 immigrants. But in 1996 alone, the new government deported 180,713 people.

We must oppose reactionary organisations like the Greater Johannesburg Hawkers' Planning Committee, which are trying to drive poor immigrant vendors off the streets of Johannesburg. Organise the immigrants into the trade unions! Unite immigrants and South African workers into a common struggle for jobs and freedom! Workers of the world unite and fight the bosses!

Source of figures: SA Labour Bulletin, article by Busani Selabe

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