Parliament, Wednesday, 08 March 2017 – The Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs has completed its part in processing legislation on two important Bills, which will now be forwarded to the National Assembly for adoption.
The Border Management Authority Bill has been drafted to establish a Border Management Authority and will remedy the fragmented border management model currently being utilised at South African ports of entry. This fragmented model has resulted in a variety of challenges in relations to control of the country’s borders. The Bill seeks to establish a single implementing entity and under a single executive authority.
The Committee has since its inception highlighted the need for urgency in efforts to deal with porous borders. As such, the completion of this process is a step in the right direction in securing the borders in a coordinated way.
Similarly, the Refugees Amendment Bill [B12-2016] was drafted to make further provisions relating to disqualification from refugee status and losing such status, to provide for integrity measures to combat fraud and corruption in Refugee Reception Offices as well as to provide for the re-establishment of the Standing Committee for Refugee Affairs (SCRA) and confer additional powers on the SCRA. The basis of the Bill is essentially to streamline the refugee application process to bring it in line with current challenges.
The Committee is confident that the two pieces of legislation will go a long way in addressing porous borders and consideration of asylum seekers’ applications. The Committee will recommend that the National Assembly adopts the two Bills.
ISSUED BY PARLIAMENTARY COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON HOME AFFAIRS, LEMIAS MASHILE.
Media enquiries or interviews with the Chairperson please contact:
Name: Mr Malatswa Molepo (Mr)
Parliamentary Communication Services
Tel: 021 403 8438
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E-mail: mmolepo@parliament.gov.za
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