After an extensive immigration screening at OR Tambo International Airport, 295 undocumented Ghanaians were repatriated from South Africa, highlighting the challenges of immigration enforcement.
Image: BMA
The Border Management Authority (BMA) has confirmed the repatriation of 295 Ghanaian nationals from South Africa following an extensive immigration screening operation at OR Tambo International Airport.
The repatriation follows a wave of anti-illegal immigration protests across parts of South Africa with a major protest planned for June 30.
The Ghanaian government as a result launched a voluntary repatriation programme for citizens wishing to return home, following growing concerns about safety and wellbeing amid heightened tensions linked to the demonstrations.
BMA commissioner Dr Michael Masiapato said officials spent nearly eight hours processing 300 Ghanaian nationals ahead of their departure on a chartered flight arranged by the Ghanaian government through its High Commission in Pretoria.
According to Masiapato, 25 of the travellers were transported from the Lindela Repatriation Centre by the Department of Home Affairs’ Immigration Inspectorate, while the remaining 275 were brought to the airport by the Ghanaian High Commission.
During the immigration verification process conducted by the BMA, authorities discovered that approximately 90% of the passengers were undocumented.
“The Ghanaian Embassy had to issue Emergency Travel Certificates to the majority of the travellers. This is a one-way travel document permitting individuals to return to their country of origin,” Masiapato explained.
Officials further found that many of the passengers had overstayed their visas by more than 30 days, while others had remained unlawfully in South Africa for more than a year.
“As a result, they were declared undesirable in terms of Section 30 of the Immigration Act read together with Regulation 27(3)(c) of the Immigration Regulations,” he said.
Despite the large-scale operation, five passengers were ultimately prevented from boarding the chartered aircraft due to various immigration and legal concerns.
One passenger, who held a valid asylum seeker permit, was denied departure because he had not formally withdrawn his asylum application.
“Migrants who have applied for protection in South Africa cannot simply return to the country they claimed to be fleeing from without first cancelling their asylum application. Allowing departure under such circumstances would amount to refoulement,” Masiapato said.
Another traveller was stopped after attempting to travel using an expired passport without an Emergency Travel Certificate issued by the Ghanaian Embassy.
In a separate incident, a woman travelling with two minor children was also denied departure after failing to provide documentation proving her relationship to the children or consent from their parents.
The BMA said all decisions taken during the operation were consistent with its mandate to facilitate legitimate movement while safeguarding South Africa’s immigration systems.
The five individuals who were denied departure were handed back to the Ghanaian High Commission for possible future repatriation once they comply with all immigration requirements.
The 295 eligible passengers later departed South Africa aboard the Ghanaian government-chartered aircraft.
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