Chief immigration officer promoted to US
MBABANE – )ive years after a 3arliament select com mittee recommended his removal, Chief Immigration Officer Makhosi Simelane has been pro moted.
He is now the new 8nder Secretary in the Ministry of Housing and 8r ban 'evelopment, where he replaces the late Martin 'lamini, who died late last year when he collapsed at his home after watching a )I)A World Cup soccer match.
In , the committee of the House of Assembly called for the immediate transfer of Simelane together with the then 3rincipal Secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs, Anthony Masilela, and a sen ior officer in the Interpol department identified as Senior Superintendent Christopher /ukhele.
At that time, Simelane was Acting Chief Immigration Officer.
The report of the committee alleged that Simelane, Masilela and /ukhele were, among other things, alleged to be ‘floodgates’ of illegal immigrants in the country, particularly those of Asian origin.
“This they do through bribery, abuse of power in issuance of mem os, visas, dependents’ pass and such related documents,´ alleged the report.
The report further called for the An ti Corruption Commission ACC to within days after the removal of the three officers, investigate all temporary residence permits, work permits and citizenship certificates issued dating back to years.
In August 9, Masilela was de moted from the position of principal secretary and redeployed to the post of /ubombo regional secretary, di rectly swapping places with Nhlan hla N[umalo.
However, Simelane remained, as he went on to be confirmed into the position of chief immigration officer.
ELEVATED
On )riday, ([ecutive Secretary of the Civil Service Commission CSC Amos Ngwenya confirmed that Sim elane has been elevated.
“It is not a redeployment but a pro motion. We saw someone who is fit to replace the late Martin 'lamini,´ he said.
Ngwenya also stated that this had nothing to do with the recommenda tions of the 3arliament probe.
“Instead, it was a recommendation that he should be promoted,´ he said.
He could not, though, confirm the date on which Simelane is e[pected to assume work at his new duty sta tion and also the person who would replace him.
“It is the Ministry of Home Affairs that will coordinate his replace ment,´ Ngwenya added.
%y yesterday, the ministry had not responded to a Tuestionnaire that was sent to them on Thursday afternoon.
On )riday, Communications Of ficer Mlandvo 'lamini indicated that the responses were ready but awaiting approval.
Meanwhile, under Simelane, the issue of illegal immigrant, mostly Asians still, has continued to be a serious problem for government.
Our sister publication (swatini News reported in May, , that over visas had been granted il legally to some immigration officials who had allegedly connived with police officials and foreign nationals to flout the process.
The visas were reportedly issued to a multitude of foreign nationals from a number of countries, including 3akistani, %angladesh, (thiopia, So malia, India, Nigeria, (gypt, Congo and Cameroon.
These foreign nationals were all destined for (swatini and more were said to be still on their way to the kingdom when the discovery was made.
Most of the foreigners from these countries used the .ing Mswati III International Airport to enter the country.
The Ministry of Home Affairs went to an e[tent sending a communiTup to the .MIII International of Airport Manager dated April , , con taining the list of some of the foreign nationals, who were e[pected to ar rive yet their visas had been revoked due to their illegality.
In the communiTup, Simelane in formed the manager that the right to entry previously granted to the for eign nationals had been withdrawn, as the ministry cited Section of the Immigration Act as its basis for declaring these visas null and void.
He said the e[ercise had already started as three foreign nationals who were on the list were turned back to their native countries.
He pointed out that the ministry and the police were now working together to make sure that these for eign nationals were turned back as they posed a national security threat.
Simelane also noted that seeming ly, most of these foreign nationals had no money in their bank accounts and also they possessed one way tickets instead of having return tickets.
He mentioned that these were the clear signs that the visa granting process was flouted.
“Who can approve a visa for some one who has no money or means to live in a foreign country"´ Simelane was Tuoted saying.
ENFORCING LAW
He said the ministry was not apol ogetic in enforcing the law, pro tecting the country’s integrity and its international relations with the neighbours and the rest of the world.
He even invited any individual who felt aggrieved by the cancellation of the visas of the foreign nationals to come forward.
“He who feels hard done by, let him come forward and state his case he who feels like litigating, that’s okay too,´ he said.
'uring the 3arliament probe, the very same problem was found to e[ist.
“The committee found that vis itors pass and dependent passes documents were used to allow im migrants into the country, who do not Tualify for that status,´ reads the
page report.
In its main recommendation, the committee said the position of chief Immigration officer must be filled with utmost urgency Simelane was acting in the position .
It said in the event that there was no one ready yet, government should consider giving a contract to a pre vious well serving officer until there was a substantive one.
The committee found that the post of chief Immigration officer had remained vacant for the last four years and the tasks were shared on a rotational basis by senior immigra tion officers.
Members of the committee were the then =ombodze (muva Constit uency M3 Titus Thwala, who was the chairman, e[ Mtfongwaneni M3 MMuluko 'lamini, former Mba bane West M3 -ohane Shongwe, the then Nhlambeni M3 )rans 'lamini, former Manzini North M3 -an Sithole now late and former Hhukwini M3 Saladin Magagula.
Others were former M3s Mthoko zisi .unene, 3atrick Motsa and Michael Masilela.