MBABANE – South Africa issued a statement raising concerns with Eswatini’s decision to accept profiled criminal deportees from the United States of America.
Spokesperson for the Minister of the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO), Chrispin Phiri, said “the profile of these individuals” has a potential impact on South Africa’s national security and its immigration policy.
Eswatini confirmed last month that five convicted criminals were received and kept in maximum security at the Matsapha Correctional Facility and that they are on transit to their rerspective countries.
The Eswatini government said the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) will oversee the transit process.
However, Pretoria said it respects Eswatini’s sovereignty but was deeply concerned with a couple of issues.
DIRCO said other than the acting government spokesperson, Thabile Mdluli’s confirmation of Eswatini’s receipt of the deportees, there was a mention of “the potential of more criminals of this profile to follow.”
“Their arrival was also followed by an announcement from the United States Department of Homeland Security indicating that this group of individuals from several countries, and some of whom have been convicted of serious offenses and crimes, have been deported from the United States of America and have arrived in the Kingdom of Eswatini,” Phiri said.
“DIRCO also noted that the countries of origin of these deportees are unlikely to receive them.
The statement said South Africa has little hope that the planned transit with the IOM would proceed.
“Whilst respecting the sovereign decision of the Government of Eswatini, the Government of the Republic of South Africa is deeply concerned about the profile of these individuals and the potential adverse impact on South Africa’s national security and immigration policy, given the geographical proximity between the two sisterly countries,” Phiri said.
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