Cape Town – Zimbabwe’s Rimbi Travel and Tours Bus Service has been fined over R400 000 by the Department of Home Affairs after one of its buses attempted to enter South Africa with passengers who did not have passports.
In a statement, the department said that the bus arrived at the Beitbridge Border Post on Monday, with 28 passengers who did not have passports.
The bus service was given “until end of business today, 29 March 2022, to pay an administrative fine of R420 000 for breach of the Immigration Act” said the department.
Home affairs spokesperson Siya Qoza, said that Rimbi Travel and Tours Bus Service had tried to appeal the fine in terms of the immigration laws, but their appeal was rejected.
“… the bus company has been appealing the sanctions in terms of the immigration laws. The appeals process has been concluded and has been rejected, hence the money is due today,” said Qoza.
The Minister of Home Affairs determined in a Government Gazette of 03 June 2014 that any conveyor (transport business) that contravenes the provisions of section 35(9), will be liable for a fine of R15 000 for each person who arrives at a port of entry without appropriate travel documents. Section 35(9) of the Immigration Act places on the person in charge of a transport business the responsibility of ensuring that all foreign passengers travelling through a port of entry have valid passports and relevant valid visas for their travel, the department said.
Meanwhile, Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi warned that anybody who did not respect the country’s immigration laws would face due consequences.
“Immigration laws of the Republic apply to everyone equally,” said Minister Motsoaledi.
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
