Government spending millions to deport illegal immigrants

The Department of Home Affairs has spent over R31 million deporting illegal immigrants.

Minister Malusi Gigaba on Monday told the media that his department was doing sterling work assisting those seeking asylum in the country.

He said the country was attracting a number of immigrants.

• Gigaba hits out at officials who ‘incite’ violence in communitiesHome Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba has called on leaders to refrain from inciting violence after violent protests in Rosettenville‚ Johannesburg‚ in which at least 12 houses were torched. 

“There are economic migrants that come to South Africa to seek jobs. The department is under resourced‚ with personnel and finances. Our border line is soft in certain areas‚” he said.

The minister said the defence force was doing a great job in preventing large numbers of immigrants from entering into the country illegally. He said South Africa had no desire to shut itself off from the rest of the world.

Gigaba together with Gauteng Community Safety MEC Sizakele Nkosi-Malobane on Monday went on a walkabout in Yeoville‚ Hillbrow‚ Mayfair and Rosettenville as part of their drive to engage communities on safety issues.

Nkosi-Malobane said part of their programme was to shut down brothels‚ drug dens and places used for human trafficking.

She said they were not reacting after angry residents of Rosettenville torched 15 houses which were allegedly used for prostitution‚ drugs and human trafficking. The MEC vowed that in the next three months‚ they will raid all areas affected by drugs‚ prostitution and human trafficking.

Places that have been identified are Vereeniging‚ Krugersdorp‚ Randburg‚ Cresta‚ Kempton Park‚ Soweto and Mamelodi which have been described as the most problematic ones.

She promised that they will not engage the army in their raids.

TMG Digital/Sowetan