Editor’s Comments: Gone in 15 minutes
De Wet Potgieter gives his comments on the shocking front page article on today's Lowvelder
Illegal immigrants walk past the dock and out the court door
The shocking story on Lowvelder‘s front page today is a shining example of the total miscarriage of justice that appears to prevail in South Africa regarding the way illegal immigrants are allowed to flood into the country.
On the contrary, if that group of illegals did in fact receive their temporary permits in such a record time, it will be an all-time record for home affairs. Setting such a “remarkable record” may thus spell some danger to the immigration authorities of Mbombela. They might experience an unusual surge of applications from frustrated South African citizens countrywide battling to secure their identity documents and passports in such a “speedy” time.
Jokes aside, it is common knowledge how despondent law enforcers get in performing their duties to arrest foreigners sneaking over our borders – with the aid of professional human traffickers. The porous borders have become a lucrative business for the seasoned human-trafficking syndicates in the country.
There is a general perception by the public in South Africa that the illegal immigrants simply “buy” their way out of jail and out of courts, thanks to corrupt magistrates and law enforcers.
It is also interesting to observe how foreigners arrive on South African soil – in most cases totally lost and their first time on the African continent – but, within hours after their arrest there seems to be a lawyer on call available to assist in safe passage into their new country of milk and honey.
This disturbingly growing problem has already manifested itself in regular xenophobic attacks on these foreigners and in disgruntled South Africans who are upset about the way that it seems that the foreigners take their jobs away.
It is quickly becoming a looming disaster.
The sporadic flare-ups countrywide should be seen as a warning to government.
