... right to entry previously granted is withdrawn
M- This publication saw a communication from the Chief Immigration Officer, Makhosi Simelane, directed to the KMIII Airport Manager, dated April 14, 2022, containing a list of some of the foreigners who were expected to arrive yet their visas had been revoked because of their illegality.
In the communication, Simelane informed the manager that the right to entry previously granted to the foreign nationals had been withdrawn.
“The right to entry was in the form of Visas. Enquiries have revealed that the visas were applied for and obtained as a consequence of misrepresentation.
“Therefore these visas as an authority to enter Eswatini are now declared null and void in terms of Section 7 of the Immigration Act of 1982,” reads the communication in part.
It continues: “As a consequence, their entry into Eswatini is now illegal as it violates Section 14(1) d of the Immigration Act No.17 of 1982 and those that are present are now consequently regarded as Prohibited Immigrants according to Section 3 (1) of the Immigration Act No.17 of 1982.
coNtact
For more information you can contact Mr Makhosi Goodwill Simelane Chief Immigration. Your usual cooperation in this regard will be, as always, highly appreciated.”
It has been established that the Ministry of Home Affairs first engaged in an exercise of notifying each of the foreigners about the cancellation of their visas and there was resistance from the immigrants as they demanded that government reimburse them the monies they had spent when applying for the documentation. However, it has gathered that immigration officials did not entertain these demands.
Some of the foreign nationals were reportedly detained upon arrival at the KMIII International Airport before being turned back.
However, highly placed sources within the ministry revealed that most of these foreign nationals neither had money nor return flight tickets.
After realising this, the ministry is said to have tried to assist some of these foreigners by helping them connect with some of their relatives in Eswatini, who could help with accommodation while waiting for their next flight back home.
The chief immigration officer is on record saying that heads will roll after the internal investigations are completed at the ministry of home affairs.