Johannesburg - Home Affairs Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi has called out US non-governmental organisations for trying to impose Afghan nationals on South Africa through the courts.
Motsoaledi also lamented the recent ruling by the High Court in Pretoria that the government had to grant asylum to 22 Afghan nationals.
The order was issued on Friday after lawyers representing a United States-based NGO approached the court on behalf of the 22 Afghan nationals.
The NGO argued that the group might be victimised by the Taliban regime, which took power in August 2021. However, the minister has decried this ruling, saying it has put the country’s sovereignty at risk, adding that this is another attempt by NGOs to frustrate government efforts to restore law and order in the country.
This comes after officials at the Beitbridge border received a letter written by a law firm informing them of the 22 Afghan refugees.
"On the 14th, our officials in Beitbridge received a letter written by a firm of lawyers, saying that they have clients that are coming, 22 of them. We are warning them that you must be given a transit visa to enter South Africa and apply for asylum. They never named the clients; they did not even mention where they came from. While the people there were still surprised, 22 people arrived and said they’re from Afghanistan and they want to enter the country. Their lawyers have given us prior notice, and they were carrying visas from Zimbabwe," the minister told SABC.
While speaking to Newzroom Afrika, the minister added that he felt disrespected and the country’s sovereign status was undermined by the letter and the actions of the NGOs, adding that there is a perception that SA is a lawless country that allows everyone to come and go as they wish.
"There is a belief generally, across the whole world, that in South Africa, everything goes.You can do whatever you want at any time. We hear quite a lot that in South Africa, the laws allows everything, and it is better to go there. Even though this is not written anywhere, basically, it is what we hear," he said.
The minister said a letter written by a lady from Roodepoort suggested that this is the obligation of the Department of Home Affairs.
"If you read the letter from the lady from Roodepoort, she was lecturing us that these are our obligations. You have agreed on them. So, you must deliver. That is how the world views us. We have asked that question before. Why they did cross so many countries and come to South Africa? In court, they told the judge that the people were in Pakistan, and the Taliban followed them there.
"I asked that are you about to ask me that I must invite the Taliban to come and attack here in South Africa. What will the public say if we harbour people here who the Taliban are looking for without having the power to protect ourselves? Surely, the Americans have more power. They are the ones who moved to Afghanistan, not us. They are the ones who invaded that place, so why do they need us this time? They never asked or even discussed with South Africa," the minister said.