Skilled South Africans urged to come home

By Manelisi Dubase
The South African Embassy in Washington, in conjunction with the International Marketing Council and other NGOs, are engaged in a massive drive to attract skilled South Africans to return their home country. This week, they hosted three events in Washington, New York and Chicago that were hugely attended by South African expatriates.

Both the embassy and some NGOs have no database about the number of South Africans in the US. But the response during their campaigns gives the impression that thousands are probably spread throughout this country. The good news is, the majority are keen to return home. The bad news is that they know very little about the latest developments in their country.

Martine Shaffer of SA Homecoming Revolution says: "It is a global challenge to get skills. South Africa is actually not doing enough. We've been hunted and we've not been doing any hunting and that's really what we need to be doing."

Ambassador Welile Nhlapho assured those who attended the Washington leg that the embassy will do everything possible to ensure their way back home. The International Marketing Council is working out strategies to use those who have not decided to return to South Africa, to instead use their skills here to benefit the country.

There are South African-born investment bankers for instance, who can use their skills at American financial institutions to open up the markets and other opportunities for South Africa. However, everybody agrees that the skills shortage in South Africa remains the biggest challenge to our growing economy.