Question NW1359 to the Minister of Home Affairs
22 May 2018 - NW1359
Dreyer, Ms AM to ask the Minister of Home Affairs
(1)With reference to the reply to question 105 on 27 February 2018, what number of foreign nationals (a) whose visas had expired and (b) who had entered the country illegally were found by the Inspectorate Unit of the department in 2016; (2) what number of the 731 people working for the inspectorate are (a) desk bound and (b) actively looking for foreign nationals whose visas have expired?
Reply:
(1)(a-b) A total of 23004 foreign nationals were found by Inspectorate to be illegal in the country during financial year 2016/17and were deported to their country of origin. A more in depth analysis would need to be undertaken to determine how many of these deportees had expired visas and those who entered illegally.
(2)(a-b) All 731 Inspectorate officials in the country conduct duties that require them to actively detect foreign nationals who are in South Africa illegally as well as conduct investigation to any contraventions of departmental legislations. They are therefore not an office bound unit except for when they complete case files attached to their duties.