Question NW938 to the Minister of Home Affairs
19 June 2020 - NW938
van der Merwe, Ms LL to ask the Minister of Home Affairs
(1) (a) What number of illegal migrants were deported back to their countries of origin since the start of the national state of disaster due to the Covid-19 pandemic and (b) to which countries were they deported; (2) what are the time frames for the repatriation of the migrants who are currently at the Bellville and Wingfield repatriation camps? NW1227E
Reply:
1. A total number of 1,376 illegal foreigners were deported since lockdown; comprising:
- 488 Mozambicans,
- 705 Zimbabweans,
- 178 Basotho and,
- 5 Swazi.
2. Refugees and asylum seekers have status in the country and cannot be repatriated, including those with appeals at the Standing Committee on Refugee Affairs (SCRA) and the Refugee Appeal Board (RAB).
END