ORIGINAL RESEARCH

 

'n Teologies-etiese beoordeling van onwettige immigrasie

 

A theological-ethical judgement of illegal immigration

 

 

E.J. de Beer

Skool vir Kerkwetenskappe, Potchefstroomkampus, Noordwes-Universiteit, POTCHEFSTROOM. E-pos: edmunddebeer@lantic.net

 

 

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OPSOMMING

Immigrasie van mense is 'n wêreldwye toenemende verskynsel. Mense immigreer hoofsaaklik om ekonomiese redes na Suid-Afrika. Nie alle immigrante is egter wettig in die land nie. Dit is nie duidelik hoeveel onwettige immigrante in Suid-Afrika is nie. Die Suid-Afrikaanse regering het geen duidelike, doeltreffende beleid oor hoe om die probleem van onwettige immigrante op te los nie. In hierdie artikel word die invloed van onwettige immigrasie op die Suid-Afrikaanse arbeidsterrein ondersoek. Die doel van die studie is om aan rolspelers vanuit die Bybel leiding te gee oor hoe hulle ingesteldheid teenoor die probleem van onwettige immigrantwerkers behoort te wees. In die artikel word die omvang en oorsake van onwettige immigrasie ondersoek. Daarna val die soeklig op die gevolge van onwettige immigrasie op die Suid-Afrikaanse arbeidsterrein en die optrede van die owerheid om die probleem hok te slaan. Dit word gevolg deur die bestudering van 'n aantal tersaaklike bybelse uitsprake. Die invloed van onwettige immigrasie op die Suid-Afrikaanse arbeidsterrein word in die lig van die bybelse uitsprake beoordeel. In die beoordeling word leiding aan verskillende rolspelers gegee oor hoe hulle ingesteldheid teenoor die gestelde probleem behoort te wees.

Kernbegrippe: arbeid, migrasie, onwettige immigrasie

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ABSTRACT

The immigration of people is a growing global phenomenon. People immigrate to South Africa mainly foreconomic purposes. Not all immigrants are, however, legally in the country. It is not certain how many illegal immigrants are in the country. The South African government does not have a clear, effective policy on how to solve the problem of illegal immigration. In this article the influence of illegal immigration on the South African labour sphere is analysed. The aim of the article is to give guidance from the Bible to role players on how their disposition should be concerning the problem of illegal immigrant workers. In the article the extent and causes of illegal immigration are investigated. This is followed by probing into the effects of illegal immigration on the South African labour sphere and the action taken by the authorities to solve the problem. The influence of illegal immigration on labour in South Africa is judged according to biblical principals. In the assessment guidance is given as to what the disposition of different role players should be concerning the set problem.

Key concepts: illegal immigration, labour, migration

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