Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber says the lengthy processing time for undocumented immigrants at the Beitbridge Border Post is due to the high number of people at the facility.
Sixty of the 150 buses transporting the immigrants destined for Musina arrived on Tuesday.
Dr Schreiber was speaking during an oversight visit at the border post.
“From a Home Affairs perspective, we have to check for anyone who is illegal in the country and then we have to record their biometrics, their fingerprints, that’s what the immigration law requires. We also have to check with SAPS to make sure that they are not wanted for any crimes. We cannot let anyone out of the country who might be wanted and of course, we have to make sure that the permits for the buses (are legit) as well as their temporary travel documents. In many cases we are finding people here do not even have passports from their home countries. So, we are working with their government to issue them those temporary documents as well, So, that is really the process.”
VIDEO | Meanwhile, a repatriation bus travelling from KwaZulu-Natal overturned on the N1 the Beitbridge Border Post:
Thousands of March and March demonstrators took to the streets raising concerns about undocumented immigrants.
TIMELINE | Immigrants protests in South Africa:
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