Minister of Home Affairs Aaron Motsoaledi has established a Ministerial Committee to review certain permits issued by the department over the years, after the department’s Counter Corruption Unit, which investigates wrongdoing by departmental officials, revealed that 66% of its cases involved permitting.

Permits and visas to be investigated will include permanent residence permits, corporate and business visas, critical skills visas, retired persons visas, citizenship by naturalisation and study visas.

Motsoaledi said he had resolved to have a more transparent permit issuance regime and explained that the department would look into permits and visas issued since 2004 as that is the year the Immigration Act, No 13 of 2002, came into operation.

“We are undertaking this review to ensure that each permit has been issued to a qualifying person because our immigration laws have to be implemented in a manner that facilitates economic development and encourages social stability. The expeditious and accurate issuance of these permits can contribute to growing the economy as we emerge from the impact of Covid-19. The Committee will also identify loopholes in our system and recommend improvements,” Motsoaledi said.

The Committee is expected to present an interim report in three months.

ELECTORAL ACT AMENDMENT

Motsoaledi also announced that he will be consulting with a team of experts to advise him on the Constitutional Court ruling that found the Electoral Act to be unconstitutional, as it did not allow citizens to be elected to the national and provincial legislatures as independent candidates.

Last year’s Constitutional Court ruling now allows independent candidates to contest elections.

Motsoaledi will be consulting on how to comply with the Constitutional Court judgment with a team of lawyers, political scientists, social scientists, and architects of electoral systems.