E/CN.4/1999/15/Add.1 page 13 44. The press remains largely in the hands of supporters of the former regime, with the exception of The Sowetan and Cape August, which are funded by Blacks and Coloureds. It is therefore inclined to criticize the government’s actions rather than take an objective line. It often accuses members of the government and the ANC’s provincial representatives of incompetence, nepotism and corruption. 45. Some previously White-dominated schools refuse to admit Blacks. One example is Vryburg school, about 200 km from Pretoria. Black children have been turned away when their parents wanted to enrol them “in case they lowered standards”. Most of the parents association and the teachers are Whites, as is the chief of police, who makes little effort to apply the law. 46. In schools where instruction was given only in Afrikaans English and the African languages have been imposed by law owing to the refusal of Blacks to be taught in Afrikaans. However, Afrikaaners are reluctant to speak English or the African languages, with the result that two types of education can exist in the same building, one followed by Afrikaaners and the other by Blacks and the other racial groups. One tactic used by private Afrikaaner schools in order to exclude Blacks is to increase the fees considerably. Also, the argument of proximity to schools is used, whereby it is claimed that only those living within a certain radius relative to the school may be enrolled. Because of the policy of separating residential areas during the apartheid era, Blacks still live far away from the best schools located in the White suburbs. The Black population has expressed its outrage at this situation, and the government is trying to find a solution. True to the spirit of compromise which prevailed during the 1994 changeover, it refuses to use force and prefers to attempt dialogue with the community where problems arise. III. A. THE RISE IN XENOPHOBIA Migratory pressure on South Africa and the refugee influx 47. Since the 1994 elections, the issue of immigration has taken on alarming dimensions, the authorities having adopted a policy of criminalization and of systematically expelling “illegal” migrants or those without identity papers in response to growing xenophobia among the population. The most sought-after clandestine or illegal migrant is the "Nigerian", described as “Frenchspeaking”; many Nigerians are accused of involvement in drug trafficking, organized crime and procuring. 48. The statistics on illegal immigration into South Africa are vague. Moderate sources speak of the presence of 500 000 clandestine foreigners, while the most alarmist put their number at 2 or even 11 million. The overestimation of the number of clandestine cases is probably due to the fact that migrants, who often trade in South Africa but do not wish to remain there permanently, are included in the figures. Another reason for the exaggerated numbers may be the tendency of some politicians to manipulate the statistics for electoral purposes, thereby playing on the fears of the population. 49. Most migrants enter the country for economic reasons. The majority of clandestine cases come from the 14 member states of the South African

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