Several politicians have reacted to the SA Police Service (SAPS) saying foreigners should carry their passports with them all the time.
Police last week arrested more than 50 undocumented foreigners on Thursday during a roadblock as part of “Operation Okae Moloa” in Fourways, Johannesburg. Among them was a doctor from Iran, who was arrested for failing to produce his passport.
Speaking to POWER 98.7, SAPS Maj-Gen Mbuso Khumalo said: “Those who know they do not belong in the country must carry their passports because [when you are stopped] at a roadblock and can’t produce [the documents] we arrest you.
“Home affairs is also around to process them. They must carry passports all the time otherwise we will arrest them for [being] undocumented.”
Xiluva leader Bongani Baloyi said carrying a passport all the time was a “normal practice when you are in a foreign country”.
Former finance minister Tito Mboweni shared how he was arrested and locked up in police cells during apartheid.
“I was an illegal person in many countries during the struggle against the apartheid system. Got arrested and locked in police cells. The UN was always on my defence. Let us protect human rights! We are all people.”
Politicians react to SAPS saying foreigners should carry their passports with them all the time
Image: Sunday Times/Esa Alexander
Several politicians have reacted to the SA Police Service (SAPS) saying foreigners should carry their passports with them all the time.
Police last week arrested more than 50 undocumented foreigners on Thursday during a roadblock as part of “Operation Okae Moloa” in Fourways, Johannesburg. Among them was a doctor from Iran, who was arrested for failing to produce his passport.
Speaking to POWER 98.7, SAPS Maj-Gen Mbuso Khumalo said: “Those who know they do not belong in the country must carry their passports because [when you are stopped] at a roadblock and can’t produce [the documents] we arrest you.
“Home affairs is also around to process them. They must carry passports all the time otherwise we will arrest them for [being] undocumented.”
Xiluva leader Bongani Baloyi said carrying a passport all the time was a “normal practice when you are in a foreign country”.
Former finance minister Tito Mboweni shared how he was arrested and locked up in police cells during apartheid.
“I was an illegal person in many countries during the struggle against the apartheid system. Got arrested and locked in police cells. The UN was always on my defence. Let us protect human rights! We are all people.”
Patriotic Alliance leader Gayton McKenzie, who has been vocal about his stance on illegal foreigners, said the country must not “normalise people entering through a fence without a passport”.
“You can't, even as a minister, enter any country without a passport but want us to normalise people entering through a fence without a passport.”
He said all foreigners in South Africa should be forced to carry passports.
“I will never give any guarantee or promise that I will not deal decisively with illegal foreigners if I do become mayor [of Johannesburg]. You can keep your mayorship because my main focus will be on cable mafias and illegal foreigners, I will chase them out of Joburg. My office shall move to Hillbrow,” said McKenzie.
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