By: Siyabonga Sithole
PARLIAMENT - In light of the recent dismissal of chief director of permissions, Ronney Marhule and other arrests, the Democratic alliance (DA) has called for Minister of Home Affairs, Aaron Motsoaledi to release the report on the review of immigration permits.
Member of Parliament and shadow minister of home affairs, Adrian Roots says the report which is scheduled to be briefed by the minister on 31 May is yet to be received by members of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee who have to deliberate on it ahead of minister's presentation which was due to be served to Parliament in March.
According to the DA the report is the product of the ministerial committee established to review all permits and visas issued since 2004, including permanent residence permits( PRP), corporate, business, retired, study visas and citizenship by naturalization.
“ In light of the dismissal of former Chief Director for permitting, Ronney Marhule, for ‘gross dishonesty' and ‘non-compliance with the Immigration Act, the committee needs sufficient time to assess the findings.”
“ The approval of immigration permits for unauthorised persons presents a significant risk to state security and any criminal offenses in terms of the Immigration Act, this needs to be dealt with, ”the DA says in a media statement.
Early this year, Motsoaledi established the ministerial committee which he said was promoted by indications that 66% or two out of three persons of reported cases by the Counter Corruption unit involved permitting cases adding that undertaking the review would ensure that each permit was being issued to qualifying persons.
This week the minister welcomed the dismissal of Marhule and said his dismissal shows the department's strong stance on dealing with irregularities adding that the disciplinary hearing against him was taking the department closer to bringing an end to irregular decisions and behaviour by home affairs officials.
In a disciplinary process that took more than a year, Marhule was recently found guilty of misconduct for recommending the approval of Shepherd Bushiri's residence permit alongside that of his wife, Mary and to children in 2016.
In a statement, the department also indicated that Marhule had tried to stop the disciplinary process against him at the labour court and the labour appeal court but was not successful.
The DA's call for the immediate release of the report came just when the Motsoaledi and his deputy, Njabulo Nzuza had tabled their budget vote for 2022 where the department announced a series of interventions aimed at putting an end to illegal migration, identity theft, fraud and corruption in the department. The department also said it had reported an unqualified audit report for the year 2020/2021.