Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi has accused Pakinstani national of getting transit visas to go to other countries through South Africa, and escaping to find a route in South Africa illegally at the airport.

He says his department has noticed this “tendency” and it is out to stop it.

The Home Affairs ministers says 67 Pakistani nationals were denied entry into South Africa at the OR Tambo International Airport during a sting operation yesterday and were sent back home after being found in contravention of immigration laws.

Motsoaledi says an inter-departmental team comprising the Department’s Counter Corruption Branch, the Hawks, the State Security Agency, and the Border Management Authority was put together to conduct the operation that led to the group’s arrest.

“We observed certain tendencies, especially from Pakistani nationals, that were disconcerting and that were very suspicious. We’ve been watching nationals from Pakistan since the 15th of June last year when they tried to enter the country illegally. They get transit visas to go to other countries, but somewhere in the airport they escape, and they try to find a route into South Africa by going in through passages made for fire hydrants. We conducted the sting operation yesterday, and these 67 were nabbed.”

Source: SABC News