Question NW3586 to the Minister of Home Affairs
20 November 2023 - NW3586
Roos, Mr AC to ask the Minister of Home Affairs
What are the details of the actions that were taken to address the issue of the undocumented foreign nationals near Kleinzee in the Northern Cape, who were released from prison because officials of his department did not process them in time, as it was indicated by a certain political party (details furnished) at the meeting of the Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs with his department on 30 March 2023?
Reply:
The South African Police Services (SAPS) undertook an operation in Kleinzee on 19 to 21 September 2023. This was a provincial-led operation. To this end, the Department of Home Affairs has written to the SAPS at national level to request them to ensure proper coordination for similar operations by the NATJOINTS and Justice Crime Prevention Cluster (JCPS) inclusive of all law enforcement agencies. This includes the Department of Home Affairs and the Border Management Authority (BMA).
This is to ensure that when operations of these magnitude are undertaken, there is better coordination and joint planning at a national level to ensure adequate resources are deployed when executing these operations that are intelligence-led.
END