The department of home affairs has arrested seven Kenyan nationals who were found illegally working in South Africa while in possession of tourist visas during a law enforcement operation in Johannesburg on Tuesday.
Department of home affairs spokesperson Carli Van Wyk said intelligence reports revealed the Kenyan nationals had recently entered South Africa on tourist visas and had illegally taken up work at a centre processing the applications of “refugees” to the US.
“This was despite the fact that earlier visa applications for Kenyan nationals to perform the work had been lawfully declined by the department,” she said.
“During the operation, seven Kenyan nationals were discovered engaging in work despite only being in possession of tourist visas, in clear violation of their conditions of entry into the country,”
Van Wyk said the seven were arrested and issued with deportation orders and will be prohibited from entering South Africa again for five years. She emphasised the operation was conducted in line with standard procedures used to increase deportations nationwide.
“The presence of foreign officials apparently co-ordinating with undocumented workers naturally raises serious questions about intent and diplomatic protocol.
— Carli Van Wyk, department of home affairs spokesperson
“The operation was carried out according to the same procedures that have seen home affairs dramatically intensify deportations over the past 18 months as government diligently works to turn around the longstanding abuse of our immigration and visa system.”
Van Wyk said no US officials were arrested during the operation.
“The operation was not conducted at a diplomatic site, and no members of the public or prospective ‘refugees’ were harassed.”
The department said the arrests reaffirm its commitment to enforcing immigration laws impartially without fear or favour. Van Wyk said the operation highlighted co-operation between South Africa and the US in addressing immigration-related crimes.
“The presence of foreign officials apparently co-ordinating with undocumented workers naturally raises serious questions about intent and diplomatic protocol. The department of international relations and co-operation has initiated formal diplomatic engagements with the US and Kenya to resolve the matter.”
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