None of the 268 Nigerians who arrived at the Oliver Tambo International Airport, Johannesburg, South Africa, for repatriation yesterday was staying in the late Nelson Mandela’s country legally.
This is according to the Department of Home Affairs’ Head of immigration enforcement, Stephen van Neel, who gave an update to Newzroom Afrika at the airport as buses ferrying the first group arrived.
The group is being repatriated to Nigeria with the assistance of Abuja following a 30 June deadline set by South African anti-immigration groups for all undocumented foreigners to leave the country.
All 268 will be declared undesirable with a five-year travel ban to South Africa, Neel added.
“Not a single person of the 268 is legal,” Neel said, adding that this was verified following processing done on them.
He explained that if a visitor’s visa is expired, and not renewed, the person is staying illegally.
Thereafter, he said, the department will issue a letter asking the person to leave the country while their home embassy is authorized to issue the overstayed visa a travel document.
“They (the 268) will be declared undesirable. It is provided for in the Immigration Act,” he added.
“And when we declare them undesirable, there will be a five-year ban before they can come back to South Africa.”
*PHOTO CAPTION: Cyril Ramaphosa, South African President.
