Home affairs chief Apleni suspended

The suspension of home affairs director-general Mkuseli Apleni is a cause for worry and could have a negative effect on the stability of the department. Home Affairs Minister Hlengiwe Mkhize announced the “precautionary” suspension of Apleni on Monday.

The suspension of home affairs director-general Mkuseli Apleni is a cause for worry and could have a negative effect on the stability of the department.

Home Affairs Minister Hlengiwe Mkhize announced on Monday what she called a “precautionary” suspension of Apleni. Without an explanation for the suspension, the brief statement said: “The home affairs minister, Hlengiwe Mkhize, announced that the department’s director-general, Mkuseli Apleni, has been placed on precautionary suspension as of today, September 18 2017.”

The department has been heavily criticised over the manner in which it awarded citizenship and visas to members of the Gupta family and their associates. It was not clear whether Apleni’s suspension was linked to this.

Reacting to the suspension, the chairman of Parliament’s portfolio committee on home affairs, Lemias Mashile, said: “We are getting the information like everyone else. The department has not spoken to me, nor has the minister alerted me personally. We are getting worried about the stability of the department now.”

In June, Apleni conceded to the portfolio committee on home affairs that the approved naturalisation of the controversial Gupta family into SA was not tabled before Parliament as required. However, he insisted that the process of naturalisation itself was above board.

At recent meetings in Parliament, Apleni distanced himself from a letter floating around social media pertaining to the naturalisation. He said that the dates on the letter deviated from those in the actual naturalisation process, leaving its authenticity questionable.

Mkhize, Apleni and department representatives did not respond to multiple requests for comment on Monday.

Mkhize sent written replies to questions from MPs on the status of the Gupta family’s stay in the country.

But replying to a question from EFF MP Hlengiwe Hlophe on “the exceptional circumstances” that compelled home affairs to grant the Gupta family South African citizenship, Mkhize said the decision was based on the work of the family’s company Oakbay.

“The consideration to grant citizenship to the family was based on the business investments and social partnerships as highlighted in the Oakbay company letter. The motivation further provided company profile in detail by the family, which presented its business commitments to social partnerships with 75 schools in the province of North West amounting to R1m,” she said .

Mkhize made reference to the Guptas’ “commitment” to the South African economy through their business practices.

“It further outlined the loyalty and commitment to job creation in the form of 7,000 permanent employees through the variety of family companies.”