Cape Town – International Relations Minister Naledi Pandor has reportedly explained the reason why South Africa refused to temporarily receive Afghan refugees, saying that there were a number of concerns.
“We received a rather odd set of letters from South African based lawyers, asking that we receive two aeroplane loads of persons who had sought refuge in Pakistan, but would be transported to South Africa in order for United States authorities to vet them in South Africa, because some of them would be given the special immigration permit by the United States. Well firstly, we’re not a vetting base, there is no international law requirement that they must proceed to a third country,” EWN quoted Pandor as saying.
Pandor also said that the evacuation of the US army from Afghanistan as the Taliban took over was “exceptionally badly handled”.
ALSO READ | South Africa says unable to take in Afghan refugees
The Islamists’ return to power forced Western countries to evacuate their citizens and Afghans likely to face reprisals from the Taliban for having worked for the foreign forces in the country.
Last week, the South African government said it did not have capacity to accommodate Afghanistan refugees as its social welfare system was already overburdened.
The most industrialised nation on the continent, South Africa is a major destination for economic migrants from neighbouring countries and beyond.
The country also boasts one of the world’s most progressive refugee policies, which helped attract more than a million asylum-seekers between 2007 and 2015.
ALSO READ | Uganda suspends 54 NGOs, including prominent rights group
But the processing of their paperwork was backlogged even before the pandemic and most find themselves stuck in limbo after applications are rejected, according to rights groups.
Uganda recently accommodated 51 Afghan evacuees.
The east African country said it would provide them with temporary refuge following a request from the US government to temporarily host “at-risk” Afghan nationals and others who are in transit to other destinations.
Follow African Insider on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram
Picture: Getty Images
For more African news, visit Africaninsider.com
Compiled by Betha Madhomu
Additional reporting by AFP
