By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The Gauteng High Court in Pretoria has nullified a Department of Home Affairs (DHA) decision to refuse to grant asylum permits to 22 Afghan nationals.
The 22 people reported to the Beitbridge port of entry on 16 February and requested asylum transit visas.
Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi says the 22 Afghanistan nationals who have been granted asylum in South Africa are still in Zambia.
“The last time we checked they were in Zambia on a visitors’ visa and this is where we think they still are. We did hear they are on a visitors visa that was granted for 25 days, we are not sure of that but that is what we heard.”
Motsoaledi said his office did not think this was a case of asylum seekers or refugees, but a move by the US NGO to undermine SA’s sovereignty.
The news of the 22 Afghans seeking asylum has been met with mixed reaction from South Africans and government officials.
Department of International Relations and Cooperation (Dirco) spokesperson Clayson Monyela said on social media that the 22 refugees have not been vetted thus their backgrounds nor agendas are unknown.
Motsoaledi also clarified that Home Affairs does not vet asylum seekers.
“We don’t vet people who are asking for asylum because we are not the ones who called them. When you ask for asylum it means that you ran away from another country.
“And once you arrive there as to whether you are being vetted or not, it is the issue of the state security to check if the person in the country presents any danger or not.”
According to Dirco, the Afghans were in Zimbabwe for a month as tourists before the South African government refused them entry as asylum seekers.
The 22 then went to Zambia which also granted them tourist visas.
However, the Lifeline Foundation, which is an American NGO, has taken South Africa to court.
This has subsequently led the High Court in Pretoria ruling that the refugees should be granted asylum in the country.