Herman Mashaba slams Aaron Motsoaledi's explanation about Bushiri escape
Just R20 for the first month. Support independent journalism by subscribing to our digital news package. 
Image: Sunday Times
ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba has joined many South Africans in expressing dismay at home affairs minister Aaron Motsoaledi after Shepherd Bushiri and his wife Mary fled SA for Malawi.
Motsoaledi appeared before parliament's home affairs committee on Tuesday where he was asked to explained how Bushiri and his wife managed to skip the country days after being granted bail.
The couple were first arrested in October and face charges of theft, money laundering and fraud in connection with an alleged “investment scheme” of more than R100m. On Wednesday, TimesLIVE reported the Bushiris were again arrested in Malawi after police raided their home in Lilongwe and took the couple into custody.
In his explanation, Motsoaledi said his department was not solely to blame for the Bushiris escaping. He also blamed SA's porous borders, saying this was a “common cause”.
Expressing his dismay, Mashaba addressed Motsoaledi in a Twitter post, saying: “we are suffering from your own government's failure to secure our borders and deal with illegal immigration."
Speaking during a media briefing, Mashaba added that he would be writing to the Judicial Service Commission to demand a full investigation into the escape.
“We are fed up with the borderless nature of this country we live in,” said Mashaba.
LISTEN | Shepherd Bushiri and his wife Mary get bail of R200,000 each
Subscribe: iono.fm | Spotify | Apple Podcast | Pocket Casts | Player.fm
— ActionSA (@Action4SA) November 18, 2020
Many social media users echoed Mashaba's sentiments, saying the minister's explanation was confirmation of “how useless and dysfunctional the department of home affairs really is”.
Here is a snapshot of what many had to say.
Good Morning SA ..Interesting listening to Min Dr Aaron Motsoaledi on the Bushiri's permanent residency .They declared under oath that they entered SA in 2015 for the first time and were granted permanent residency in 2016 ..Same time period Malusi Gigaba was Min of Home Affairs
— Garth (@_Calculator) November 18, 2020
Aaron Motsoaledi says the Police searched the Malawian Presidential plane twice before departure, WHAT WERE THEY SEARCHING FOR?
— Mohapi Setenane (@MohapiSetenane) November 17, 2020
No one could have thought that the Bushiris could be hidden inside the plane. Why ddnt they just monitor Bushiri's place, if they suspected anything?
From the Aaron Motsoaledi School of Leadership.
— Nomboniso Gasa (@nombonisogasa) November 17, 2020
Life esidimeni: Not my responsibility alone...
Crisis in public hospitals: Not my responsibility alone... Bushiri escape: Security cluster. Not me alone...
blah blah blah
When Minister Dr. Aaron Motsoaledi says: "We are suffering pouros boarders", he says so as if the boarders themselves are to blame or as if it is some kind of a disease without a cure. Yes, we know that we have pourous boarders, then what must happen now? #BushiriEscape
— The Ruralitarian (@Skoax) November 17, 2020
In dealing with #Bushiri issues, Aaron Motsoaledi has been terrible, plz @PresidencyZA @CyrilRamaphosa get a better person other thab this minister, we know corruption is rife is DOH, we need some apt.
— Guapo Fikile (@fikileml) November 18, 2020
READ MORE:
Just R20 for the first month. Support independent journalism by subscribing to our digital news package.