A lack of coordination within Cabinet may have contributed to the latest immigration chaos, which saw foreign nationals arriving in large numbers at refugee offices, believing they would be granted automatic asylum or citizenship.
Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni revealed that, after incorrectly interpreting a Constitutional Court judgment, the Department of Home Affairs issued directives to its staff without consulting the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Migration (IMC). She believes this created a national security threat.
The IMC briefed the media in Pretoria, indicating that steps were being taken to approach the apex court to highlight the implications of the judgment for national security.
Ntshavheni attributed the confusion and chaos experienced at refugee centres this week to the unilateral actions of the Department of Home Affairs.
“Those directives did not serve before the IMC, even though they affect immigration.
“So there was no body caught off guard; it was simply that Home Affairs did not consult the IMC,” said Ntshavheni.
The controversial directives have since been withdrawn, and refugee offices have been temporarily closed as the government seeks to engage with the Constitutional Court about the implications of its ruling.
Ntshavheni said that, going forward, the department would no longer be allowed to make major decisions or announcements without consulting the IMC.
“That’s why, in today’s statement, we are indicating that the IMC’s decision is that no immigration directives, operational or otherwise, will be issued without full consultation with the IMC, because they have consequences for other departments. They affect national security.
“Those directives created a national security challenge for us, which we are also responding to. We will detail the issues surrounding these national security challenges as we make our submissions to the High Court panel of judges, led by President Lidwaba of Gauteng,” she said.
The directives that sparked the chaos have since been withdrawn, and refugee offices have been temporarily closed.