Court Orders Immediate Deportation For 16 Undocumented Mozambican Women
The Barberton Magistrate’s Court has issued a deportation order for 16 women found guilty of contravening the Immigration Act.
The decision was made on Tuesday following their arrest the previous Friday on the N4 highway near Kaapmuiden. The women were travelling in two taxis from Mozambique to Johannesburg without the necessary permits or passports.
According to Mpumalanga Hawks spokesperson Capt. Dineo Sekgotodi, the arrest resulted from intelligence information received about taxis transporting undocumented individuals.
During the search, officials found 16 women, 10 toddlers, four teenage girls, and 15 men, all without proper documentation. Subsequently, the suspects were detained on charges of kidnapping, aiding and abetting, and contravention of the Immigration Act.
The court sentenced the women to a fine of R2,000 or six months imprisonment, suspended for five years, conditional on not committing similar offenses within the suspension period.
“The court further ordered the accused be deported back to their country with immediate effect,” stated Sekgotodi. Legal aid assistance played a crucial role in the sentencing process.
In parallel to the women’s case, the 15 Mozambican men detained during the same operation had their case postponed to August 20, awaiting legal aid representation. They have been remanded in custody as the investigations proceed.
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