Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi stated on Sunday that 67 Pakistani nationals were intercepted at OR Tambo International Airport and deported after failing to comply with South Africa’s immigration requirements.
The government said in a statement that the group failed an immigration test immediately after arriving in South Africa.
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They had arrived on board a flight carrying 268 passengers from Dubai.
“They have been sent back to Pakistan — at their own cost,” the department said.
Elaborating, Motsoaledi said: “This is a result of a sting operation that was put together after observing certain trends that were suspicious and did not make sense.”
Home affairs, the SA Counter Corruption Branch, Hawks, state security agency officers, and border management authority carried out the sting operation.
“They were interviewed by immigration officers and were asked where they were going and about the purpose of being in South Africa and where they were going to stay given that they were coming here for the first time,” Motsoaledi said.
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One of the concerns they struggled to answer was how long their visas allowed them to stay in the nation.
“Essentially, these people wanted to come to South Africa but were unable to explain where they were going and for what reason. There is no other way. They have to return to their home country. We can’t allow such people to enter the country,” said Motsoaledi.
