'Our system is being abused’ — Clayson Monyela on Afghan asylum seekers debacle

The department of international relations and co-operation’s head of public diplomacy Clayson Monyela says the country’s asylum system is being abused after the Pretoria high court ordered the home affairs department to grant asylum to 22 Afghanistan nationals.

The high court this week reserved judgment in an urgent application brought by the home affairs department opposing an order which allowed 22 Afghan nationals seeking asylum to enter the country.

The order was issued on Friday after lawyers representing a US NGO approached the court on behalf of the Afghan nationals.

Monyela said there are other countries the Afghan asylum seekers could have gone to.

He asked why the asylum seekers did not go to Zambia or the US instead of coming to South Africa.

“Why South Africa? Our asylum system is being abused,” he said.

Monyela accused the high court of forcing South Africa into accepting the asylum seekers.

“The ministry of home affairs gave me more details. These 22 Afghans were in Zim for a month as tourists. They tried entering as asylum seekers. We refused and they went to Zambia, which also granted them tourists visas. The NGO wants the court to force us to accept them. No,” he said.

Speaking on eNCA, home affairs minister Aaron Motsoaledi accused the NGO of using the legal system to undermine and ambush South Africa’s sovereignty.

He said government will challenge the court order.

“We are being undermined. There’s a belief you can go to South Africa and do whatever you want at any time you want, and the constitution and legal system of the country will allow you to do so.”

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