KwaMashu, Durban – KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Premier Thamsanqa Ntuli said he has launched a huge deportation scheme for illegal immigrants. In KwaMashu, Durban, Ntuli was speaking at an anti-crime imbizo.
“I have launched a campaign demanding that all undocumented immigrants leave immediately or risk being deported to their home nations. Ntuli stated, “Whoever is left must be located with the appropriate paperwork.”
Ntuli claims that illegal immigrants, some of whom are involved in criminal activity, expect free access to clinics and school enrolment, and South Africa bears the responsibility of providing limited social services.
He says the South African Police Service (SAPS) and the Metro Police have been carrying out their initiatives to sweep illegal immigrants in the province with admirable results.
SAPS KZN Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi who leads the campaign said they have uncovered that at least 120 illegal immigrants illegally occupy housing and criminality thrives.
He said the municipality falls short in rates collection in some instances and paid services including water have been illegally cut off.
“They’ve got one tap that the municipality installed at the ground level where everyone has to come down to collect water and go back into their flats. Some of the people have been staying here for many years,” Mkhwanazi said.
Mkhwanazi told journalists that some buildings are hijacked and are overcrowded with undocumented individuals who are then forced to pay rent.
“A two-bedroom has been divided to accommodate at least eight people. And they’re paying rent on that, unfortunately,” he said, adding that illegal immigrants include tertiary students who attend nearby universities.
Mkhwanazi said these places perpetuate crime.
“And amongst them, we have people that have been arrested for drugs and other people arrested for counterfeiting. We’ve got a lot of fake US dollar notes that we found, over R4 million worth of those notes. We’ve arrested quite a lot of people for being in the country without papers or valid papers, undocumented. So it’s a variety of charges and other people that are illegally renting the places out there for collecting money from people, illegal connection of electricity, amongst others,” he said.
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