PA unapologetic for turning back illegal foreign nationals at the SA – Zimbabwe border

Patriotic Alliance deputy president Kenny Kunene said his party was unapologetic for chasing away illegal foreigners from different points of the border between SA and Zimbabwe.

The PA has been running operations at the Limpopo riverbank which borders South Africa and Zimbabwe deterring those wishing to enter South Africa illegally.

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Their tactics could be seen on social media through videos and photos of the “operation”.

Responding to questions from The Citizen Kunene said since January 3 the PA members along the border had managed to push back at least 1,000 Zimbabweans, who were attempting to enter South Africa illegally.

PA sticking to their guns

“We as the PA are unapologetic in our demand for the mass deportation of all illegal immigrants in SA who are a serious burden on our public facilities, including health, housing, schools and even our social welfare system. We are saying Abahambe,” Kunene said.

Kunene said his team was assisted by local farmers who showed the PA members where the problematic areas along the border were. He said he was disappointed in the lack of security along the South Africa Zimbabwe border.

“South Africans, you are on your own. We do not have a government. SA is a borderless country,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Africa Diaspora Forum (ADF) which has been advocating the rights of foreign nationals living in South Africa appealed to Zimbabwean nationals to refrain from entering South Africa illegally.

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“Every person that comes to South Africa must have a valid passport we do not encourage any person to use undesignated entry points to enter South Africa and we do not encourage anyone from using undesignated exit points to leave Zimbabwe,” ADF spokesperson Ngqabutho Mabhena said.

Zimbabwean passports are expensive

Mabhena said one of the challenges that Zimbabweans were facing was that the Zimbabwean government had made getting a passport difficult for residents.

“We cannot have a passport costing $150 to $200. That is not on! Our passport is very expensive. While we understand that a passport is expensive people should not come to South Africa without passports,” Mabhena said.

Earlier this week, The Citizen reported that more than six million people were expected to move through South Africa’s borders during the festive season.

At the beginning of December, the Border Management Authority (BMA) managed to stop almost 44 000 people attempting to enter South Africa illegally.