This morning we were back in Kathlehong heading to the Palm Ridge Magistrate Courts and it was kind of a weird driving experience. This morning was sunny when we left home at 7.30am and once we entered the outskirts of Katlehong it was like we were driving through thick fog. Visibility was less than 100m and this was lingering smoke from the burning tyres over night which the locals had used as road blocks. This is why the migrants are terrified as this is what happens in these township type areas.
It has been reported that Zimbabweans (any illegal migrant) leaving the country through the border posts who are undocumented are now being registered so that there are records in place. These records will be used to ban these people from entering South Africa for a minimum of 5 years. This ban basically puts an end to any chance of these people earning a living in South Africa for the foreseeable future and would go as far as say forever.
One has to ask what is the point unless the government is going to secure the borders moving forward which only then would this make sense. This could all be for show because how did these people enter the country originally because the millions could not have crossed over illegally and a high percentage would have had to have come via the border post. Surely the corrupt border guards could not have taken bribes from so many?
Visas for the neighboring countries will be dealt with at consulates within those countries so the SA Home Affairs will screen all those applying with the records they now have on file. This would have happened for everyone who was undocumented and not just the Zimbabweans. Like in any country if you have entered the country illegally there has to be consequences and this is the law.
There is currently a lengthy delay at the border for those needing to be processed as these people do not have the required paperwork and were hence illegals. Over the coming days there are expected to be many more in the tens of thousands arriving to escape, but there are millions in hiding who have not vacated. This could become a problem because they have breached the 30th June deadline and this is like permission has been granted to hunt down those who have not left. This is utter madness and it is not like they were not warned and are too smart because nothing is going to happen. In the US you are competing against ICE but there you are up against the locals and against these numbers you have no chance.
The problem is that those with legal papers are being treated the same way as those who have no papers as they see no difference. A foreigner from another African country who is generally unskilled is only there to steal their jobs and they do have a strong case. This is hard to argue against because they are the ones who have been most affected by the open borders and have suffered for years due to the lack of employment.
Posted Using INLEO
