Minister, mayor meet over aliens
THERE are two different types of illegal immigrants living in South Africa – those who want to contribute to the economy and those who have malicious intentions.
This is according to Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba‚ who was addressing members of the media at the department’s head offices in Pretoria yesterday.
“Believe you me‚ many of them don’t stay permanently in South Africa‚ they come and [leave].
“Some of them stay permanently and commit crimes – but they are no different from South Africans who . . . commit crimes and have malicious intentions to society in general‚” Gigaba said.
His remarks came after his meeting with Johannesburg mayor Herman Mashaba yes- terday, where they discussed Mashaba’s remarks in his 100 days in office report, in which he labelled illegal foreign nationals criminals and ordered them to leave the country’s economic hub.
The other immigrants, according to Gigaba‚ had means of contributing to South Africa’s economy and to also purchase goods to resell in their countries of origin.
“They also pay toll fees on our roads‚ pay taxes when they purchase goods in our retail stores, and support jobs in South Africa.”
Mashaba and Gigaba agreed that the issue of illegal immigrants was a problem in the country.
They will meet again next year to pave a way forward on how to clamp down on illegal immigrants. Gigaba said there were 3 500 South African National Defence Force officers deployed at the country’s ports of entry.