SA will not mimic Trump in Lesotho deportations, assures Malusi Gigaba

Source: TMG Digital, 30/01/2017

SA will not mimic Trump in Lesotho deportations, assures Malusi Gigaba
30 January 2017 â€" TMG Digital

SA will soon begin deporting undocumented Lesotho nationals but will
not mimic US President Donald Trump’s attitude towards migrants from
neighbouring Mexico in doing so.
Department of Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba on Sunday gave an
update on the Lesotho special permit application process‚ which closed
in December.
The special permits were introduced to regularise the stay of Basotho
people in SA for work‚ study or business.
For the duration of the application process‚ Basotho in SA unlawfully
were protected by amnesty but this will come to an end on March 31‚
the deadline for applicants to submit outstanding documents to the
department.
From April, deportations of those who failed to apply for their
special permits would begin‚ Gigaba said.
Gigaba said‚ however‚ that the department was not seeking the "Trump
solution" for dealing with any people in the country illegally.
"The Trump approach‚ we will never support it. We think it’s going to
compound [strained] relations between the US and Mexico. We think the
US is going to suffer."
During his election campaign last year‚ Trump created a storm of
controversy when he vowed to build a wall along the US-Mexico border
to keep Mexicans from entering the US illegally.
Trump has also ordered a travel ban to the US for refugees and other
travellers from seven Muslim countries since taking office.
"In the mind of a narrow-minded person such measures may seem
credible. But someone who has a long-term view will realise that this
is going to be very costly in terms of human life [and] in terms of
economic resources‚" Gigaba said.
He said that the Lesotho government had co-operated well with the
special permit application process.
A total of 127‚048 online special permit applications have been
submitted. By the end of December‚ 88‚563 Basotho nationals had
completed the application process‚ while the rest still have
outstanding documents due.
The department will now focus on adjudicating the applications and
issuing permits. To date‚ 31‚019 permits have been collected.
Gigaba said the permits aimed to relieve pressure from the asylum
seeker management process‚ provide amnesty to Basotho who obtained
South African documents fraudulently and regularise Basotho residing
in SA undocumented.
No applications have been rejected thus far.
Gigaba also tackled anti-immigrant sentiments doing the rounds on
social media‚ alleging the department has called for the immediate
deportation of undocumented migrants from African countries.
"We will not incite citizens to take the law into their hands when we
have the legal means ourselves lawfully to control illegal migration
and effect deportations as necessary."
He said the government ultimately wanted to accommodate free movement
for the citizens of all African countries‚ but that this needed to be
managed gradually.
TMG Digital