Govt fears Afghan court ruling may open 'floodgates' for asylum seekers - Motsoaledi
Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi says government is concerned that the High Court ruling, which ordered that 22 Afghans be granted asylum in South Africa, could see the country flooded by refugees.
Motsoaledi spoke to sister station, Jacaranda FM News on Thursday, following the ruling by the High Court in Pretoria on Tuesday.
The application was brought by US NGO Lifeline Foundation.
"The question is, is this opening the floodgates? What does it mean? Does it mean any human being, anywhere in the world who feels unsafe is rushed to SA?" asked Motsoaledi.
"We heard that after leaving Afghanistan, they went to Pakistan. From Pakistan, they went to Qatar. After Qatar, they went to Zimbabwe after a visitors visa expired they entered Zambia with a visitors visa, but here in SA they are entering looking for asylum."
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Motsoaledi confirmed that government is looking at other avenues to fight the issue.
"We think it is and that is why we are fighting and looking at the issue. Initially, when this judgment came out on Tuesday, we issued a statement because we are a law-abiding country.
"But since then, quite a number of colleagues in government have actually questioned this because they are worried. So right now, we are consulting even outside the government. We are looking for legal advice on what to do because we don't want to take this sitting down."
The minister said the background of the 22 Afghans is still unknown as they have not been vetted properly by US officials or the South African government.
