Home affairs is improving daily, not plotting darkly

Source: Sunday Times, 27/05/2018

In “A parallel, shadow regime has hijacked control of SA’s borders”
(May 20), Gary Eisenberg claims that “control of our borders was
ultimately wrestled by the Department of Home Affairs from more than
18 state departments and parastatals, including Sars, by Gigaba’s
championing of the Border Management Authority Bill”.
Minister Gigaba was not at home affairs when the National Assembly
approved the bill in 2017 and referred it to the National Council of
Provinces â€` that was former minister Hlengiwe Mkhize.
It is unthinkable that Eisenberg’s imaginary “complex” is busy
hatching “a silent coup” in some quiet dark corner of the
land, “seizing power from other departments” through a yet-to-be-
established border management authority, for the use of top home
affairs managers.
We are expected to believe with no proof shared that compliant
applications are frequently rejected and appeals and ministerial
exemption applications are stymied. The department maintains a high
standard of professional ethics, provides services impartially, and
strives for accountability and transparency.
The changes we have made, which Eisenberg ignored, benefit even
foreign nationals, including developing a Trusted Traveller system
for bona fide frequent travellers, providing biometric capability at
four airports and six land ports and introducing a visa exemption for
Russia that increased tourist travel from there by 51% in 2017, year
on year.
This year we will simplify visa requirements for Chinese and Indian
visitors and ease the entry of people with valid visas from countries
such as the US and the UK.
Working closely with stakeholders, including the departments of
tourism and transport, the Airports Company South Africa and the
tourism industry, we will develop and implement a strategy to grow
South Africa as an attractive and efficient transit hub and
destination for tourists and businesspeople.
Mayihlome Tshwete, spokesman for Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba
Tangled in red tape
Gary Eisenberg’s article on immigration mapped out the entanglement
of the Department of Home Affairs in unaccountability.
The centralisation of decision-making was responsible for several
multiple applications for citizenship by married couples, ending with
only one of the partners being processed.
My wife knows and we have met others still trying â€` after more than
eight years. The abolition of permanent residents’ permits, demoting
them to visas, is the latest step in the capture of the borders. Tom
Morgan, Cape Town
Israel and Gaza: it’s complicated
Ranjeni Munusamy, in “No long-term game plan in SA’s handling of
Israel’s attack on Gaza” (May 20), makes some good points but is
biased. Critics may well have differing opinions on Israel’s response
to the Hamas-led attack on the border fence, but Israel did not
attack Gaza.
If Hamas fighters had entered Israel and attacked citizens, the
Israeli response would have led to many more deaths. I am aware of
the total frustration of the Gazan people and I would really like
them to have an independent state, but if border blockades are
removed there will be a flood of arms brought into Gaza.
I don’t know what the solution is for the struggling Gazan people and
the worried Israeli nation. It is certainly not Israel’s inflammatory
settlement policies, nor Hamas terrorist attacks on Jews. Either way,
I expect a publication like the Sunday Times to reflect all sides and
allow readers to make up their own minds.
D Wolpert, Rivonia