Parliament, Thursday, 8 July 2019 – The Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs, Advocate Bongani Bongo, has welcomed the arrest of illegal immigrants during a multi-organisation raid in inner Johannesburg’s central business district (CBD).
“It must remain clear that while legal and developmental immigration is encouraged and can be beneficial to the growth prospects of the country, we remain steadfast that illegal immigration must be discouraged at all times,” Adv Bongo emphasised.
Migration is a reality that South Africa must accept and leverage to benefit the country’s drive for development and economic growth. Nonetheless, migration must happen within the framework of international and national law. It is this context that the committee welcomes the arrest and possible deportation of these illegal immigrants.
The committee continues to emphasise the need for the Department of Home Affairs to strengthen its application processes to remove blockages for asylum seekers and critical skills immigrants. Furthermore, the committee has emphasised the need to fight corruption to ensure the credibility of the department’s system and documentation.
The committee has called for the processing of the arrested illegal immigrants and speedy deportation.
Meanwhile, the committee has received correspondence from the Mayor of the City of Johannesburg. The committee will discuss the correspondence and then make a decision on it. “The guiding principle informing the work of the committee is that efforts by all stakeholders are important if we are to resolve the challenges facing the country. We must all work together to find workable solutions to these challenges,” Adv Bongo concluded.
ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON HOME AFFAIRS, ADV BONGANI BONGO
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