Arrested illegal immigrants to be sent back home



16 May 2008
McKeed Kotlolo and Tebogo Monama

Despite the Home Affairs Ministers promise that illegal immigrants who fell victim to xenophobic attacks would not be deported, 32 refugees are now facing deportation.

Visiting Alexandra, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakua said no foreigners would be deported whether they were documented or not. Instead, her department would help them get proper documentation.

Thirty-two illegal immigrants were attacked at Olifantsfontein near Tembisa yesterday, mostly Zimbabwean and Mozambican nationals . After they were rescued the police found that none of them had the proper documentation to be in South Africa.

Olifantsfontein police spokesman Raphy Makgoba said when they arrived on the scene all the foreigners’ belongings had been taken from them by thugs .

“After rescuing them we had no alternative but to arrest them for being in the country without proper documentation,â€