Warning on transporting illegal immigrants
MBABANE - Public transport drivers who consciously transport illegal immigrants across South Africa’s ports of entry, could have their permits revoked by the Border Management Authority (BMA).
The border law enforcement authority issued this stern warning as it raised concerns about the number of public transport drivers found to have been transporting illegal immigrants over the 2023/24 festive period.
This happens as the country is faced with the shortage of travel documents. Minister of Home Affairs Princess Lindiwe, recently announced seven instances when one could be eligible to obtain a passport or travel document.
The application requirements in the interim include, having proof of doctor’s appointment, acceptance letter from a learning institution, study permit, student card, hawker’s permit, work permit and/or employment letter.
This is part of the short-term measures introduced by the ministry to manage the existing stock of the documents by prioritising the issuance of passports/ travel documents, to deserving individuals, based on urgent and essential needs.
Assured
The minister assured the nation that all types of travel documents and passport booklets would be available before the end of this month, in all service centres countrywide. According to the Legal Information Institute, illegal immigrants are foreign-born people who enter or remain in a country unlawfully. The category of ‘illegal immigrant’ contrasts with ‘legal’ or ‘documented’ immigrants who enter a country through the proper channels.
The BMA Commissioner, Dr Mike Masiapato, was quoted by the IOL News, saying; between December 6 and January 18, the authority imposed 98 administrative fines to various conveyancers, especially bus companies, amounting to E3 540 000. Masiapato said they had managed to collect E9.8 million in outstanding fines from about 25 bus companies. However, in view of the growing number of incidents, they had met with the representatives
THE REQUIREMENTS INCLUDE:
1. Having proof of doctor’s appointment.
2. Acceptance letter from a learning institution.
3. Study permit.
4. Student card.
5. Hawker’s permit.
6. Work permit and/or employment letter.
of at least 30 bus companies involved in transporting people in and out of the country and implored them to cease this activity.
“They have committed to ensuring that valid passports would be required from all travellers when procuring cross-border tickets and for entering the bus, on travel day.
“We further engaged the leadership of the Cross-Border Road Transport Agency and agreed that bus companies should comply with the conditions of their cross-border permits, otherwise such permits would be withdrawn,” he said.
Over and above that, Masiapato said during the 43 days observed, South Africa had seen as many as 5 096 288 travellers across its 71 ports of entry, an increase of a million, as compared to the previous year.
However, this was still a smaller number than in the pre-COVID-19 period, when the country would see at least six million travellers.
The BMA said the majority of travellers had made
their way into the country through the OR Tambo International Airport, however, there were significant increases across major ports, such as the Lebombo land port of entry from Mozambique, as well as the Beitbridge entry from Zimbabwe.
Law enforcement teams had apprehended 15 924 persons attempting to enter the country without the relevant documentation, the majority of whom were intercepted around the Lebombo port of entry. A total of 6 455 people were denied entry for being undesirable, either due to them committing crimes in other countries or appearing on Interpol’s Red List.