Emigration rates up again

The latest First National Bank (FNB) residential property barometer shows the number of South Africans who give emigration as the reason for selling their home has risen sharply in recent months, doubling between the last quarter of 2007 and the second quarter of 2008, from 9% to 18%. Foreign embassies in South Africa also report an increase in emigration applications in recent months. On Monday, a charted plane carrying 100 South African Jewish immigrants landed at Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv. According to the Jewish Agency, which manages immigration to Israel, the number of South African Jews interested moving to Israel, is set to double in 2008. From 178 last year, their number is set to reach over 300 this year. The South African Institute for Race Relations estimates that around 800 000 South Africans emigrated during 1995-2005.