§ 65. Mr. Brockwayasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what restrictions are placed on immigrants into Swaziland; and what differentiation there is between white immigrants and Africans, Asian and coloured immigrants, respectively, from the Republic of South Africa.
§ Mr. FisherIn Swaziland, African immigration is covered by the African Immigration Proclamation of 1959 as amended, and European, coloured and Asian immigration by the Immigration Proclamation of 1956 as amended. Classes of African prohibited immigrants are detailed in Section 10 of Proclamation No. 56 of 1959; classes of their European, coloured and Asian counterparts are given at Section 8 of the 1956 Proclamation.
Immigrants from South Africa of all categories are required to obtain temporary or permanent residence permits, except for short visits not exceeding three months.
The provisions of the immigration laws relating to Africans on the one hand and to Europeans, coloureds and Asians on the other are very much the same. Principal differences are:—
- (i) As regards African immigrants, District Boards grant temporary residence permits and a Central Board recommends for the Paramount Chief's approval permits for permanent residence; whereas for non-Africans temporary residence permits are granted by the Chief Immigration Officer and an Immigration Selection Board has absolute discretion in the issue of permits for permanent residence.
- (ii) The immigration law for non-Africans requires all immigrants to possess proof of unrestricted right of re-entry into the country from which they have come. The African immigration law contains no such provision.
- (iii) African labourers are permitted to enter Swaziland under bulk permits, whereas non-Africans in the same category are not permitted to do so.
- (iv) Lighter penalties are provided for immigration offences committed by Africans than by other immigrants.