Despite South Africa’s rich cultural diversity and phenomenal potential, the unmanaged corruption and failing government are resulting in a deeply concerning amount of working, TAX paying people leaving the country and we are not speaking about ten or twenty thousand people, it’s hundreds of thousands.
A lack of service delivery, unbelievable, ever-increasing crime levels, the unemployment rate and the constant economical knocks, do not leave the average South African hopeful for the future.
With this all in mind, we take a look at how many South Africans have left the country recently and the mindset around immigration from a few reliable sources.
According to a report released in June 2022 by statistics company, Statista—in 2020, South African emigrants amounted to just under a million people, roughly 915,000.
“The vast majority settled in the United Kingdom (around 247,000), followed by Australia (nearly 200,000). Together, the two countries constituted roughly 49 percent of the total South African migrants living abroad. Moreover, the third major country of destination for South Africans was the United States, with about 117,000 people living there,” explained Statista.
Explaining why people were pilling out of the country, Statista said that in 2022, unemployment was a major cause of concern.
“As of April 2022, 64 percent of the respondents of a survey reported concerns regarding the job market and the unemployment situation in the country. As of the first quarter of 2022, the unemployment rate among the age groups 15-24 years and 25-34 years was significantly higher than the rest, reaching 63.9 percent and 42.1 percent, respectively,” declared Statista.
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Furthermore, a recent survey by infoQuest/TrendER, showed that even in a small group of only 300 South African working respondents, interviewed across the country that about 5% of them had applied for residency in another country, had been accepted and will be emigrating soon.
‘If we extrapolate this to the actual numbers, 5% of approximately 15 million working South Africans indicates a staggering number of 750 000 South Africans getting ready to leave imminently,’ said Claire Heckrath, Managing Director of infoQuest.
According to InfoQuest, another 14% were seriously thinking about emigrating and have made enquiries or submitted applications, while one in three working South Africans said they have thought about emigrating, but have not taken any action yet.
Moreover, New World Immigration stated that unemployment was not the only reason why people said they had to leave South Africa with the following points highlighted:
- Requiring improved safety and security
- Government’s affirmative action policy
- Deterioration in social services
- Decline in quality of life and living standards
- Higher earnings potential
The above is not taking into account the crippling loadshedding, the threat of looting and the political mayhem placing every person at the mercy of what tomorrow may bring.
With the above information in mind, what are your thoughts on all of this?
Can you share some hope or positivity on the subject? let us know in the comment section below.
Comments 2
If you can leave south africa please leave living in a country that is not crime ridden jobs are available it’s a well run 1st world country why would you stay I have been in Australia for almost a year now I cannot believe what this country has to offer if you are a tradesman come to western Australia they a crying out for trades the salaries are amazing if you are a teacher get here they are also desperately needed salaries are amazing there are so many sponsorships think of your family and get out 2 of my sons are here doing so well
When the President acts like a money laundering Mafia Don and gets away with it, then what hope for the rest of the country?