Motsoaledi refutes spot check reports on foreign nationals
Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi has refuted reports that he gave orders for police to conduct spot checks on the immigration status of foreign nationals.
The minister was responding to a query by a member of the Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs on Tuesday about a person that was put in custody while officials confirmed if they were documented or not.
The matter was then written into a story by other media publications this week, misinterpreting the minister's comments.
Spokesperson Siya Qoza says the Immigration Act allows police to do their work, without instruction from a minister.
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"In closing the minister said that anybody who is not aware that people have been identified in this manner since the Act was promulgated in 2002 cannot put a blame on me.
"Therefore, the media headlines and statements that suggest that I have given instructions to the police officers to stop people and ask for their identification is sensational and it tries to create a controversy where none exists.
“The country is suffering load shedding at the moment and that is enough, we cannot afford journalism shedding too."
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