Johannesburg - Morning Live presenter Leanne Manas caused a storm in a teacup on Twitter on Friday when she tweeted that Microsoft founder Bill Gates and his daughter were prevented from entering the country because the young girl didn’t have an unabridged birth certificate.
While still on air Manas tweeted: “Bill Gates & his daughter landed at Sabi Sabi with his daughter a week ago only to be turned away because of no unabridged birth certificate. (sic)” This forced the country’s top officials, including Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba, into action.
The new visa regulations, which require adults travelling with children to have copies of the minors’ unabridged birth certificates, came into effect in June. A few hours after Manas tweeted, Gigaba asked her to provide details about the incident. His spokesman Mayihlome Tshwete also begged the presenter to disclose additional information.
“I have respect for you but you are treating Home Affairs and the viewers of Morning Live with total disregard.”
Other social media users argued that Gates could have flouted the country’s laws by not using OR Tambo International Airport, suggesting that he had been given preferential treatment: “How come they landed at Sabi Sabi and not official port of entry? Who does Bill Gates think he is? The Guptas?” tweeted Maggs Naidu.
Another user echoed Naidu’s sentiments: “Why would anyone want to overlook the country’s rules and regulations just to accommodate one person?” said Mantombi Mngadi.
After a thorough investigation by Home Affairs, the department said their electronic movement system showed that Gates hadn’t entered the country in the last few days.
In a statement, Tshwete said Manas’s tweets were misleading and untrue, and added that should Gates wish to visit the country, he’d be expected to abide by the laws like any other visitor. Meanwhile, Rod Wyndham, the managing director at Sabi Sabi Game Reserve, could neither confirm nor deny the incident. He added that the new law was frustrating for people in the hospitality industry. “It’s an ongoing problem for us. It’s frustrating that people have to be turned away from our country because of this law.”
Tshwete has asked Manas to retract her statement and apologise for propagating false information, but by Friday night Manas had yet to respond. An insider at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation told the Saturday Star that it was unlikely that Gates would’ve been in South Africa as he was expected to be in New York attending the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals.
Saturday Star