130 Palestinian travellers released into care of Gift of the Givers
The Border Management Authority (BMA) has confirmed that 130 of the 153 Palestinian travellers who arrived in South Africa on Thursday have been released into the care of the humanitarian group, Gift of the Givers.
The remaining 23 had already been transferred from SA to their ultimate destinations.
More than 150 passengers arrived in SA on Thursday morning on a Global Airways flight from Kenya.
BMA Commissioner Dr Michael Masiapto explained that when the travellers arrived in the country, the group did not indicate their duration of stay or the address of their accommodation in South Africa.
“The travellers also did not have the customary departure stamps in their passports.
“Following their failure to pass the immigration test and given that none of the travellers expressed an intention to apply for asylum, they were initially denied entry,” Masiapto said.
He added that following correspondence between the Department of Home Affairs and Gift of the Givers, Gift of the Givers received the 130 travellers.
According to Masiapato, given that Palestinians are eligible for 90-day visa-exempt travel to South Africa, they have been processed as per normal and will be required to adhere to all conditions of entry.
Gift of the Givers has thanked the government for receiving the travellers.
“We are grateful that the Minister of the Department of International Relations and Cooperation took the initiative to write to the Ministry of Home Affairs to waive this requirement, yet this could have been implemented by Home Affairs unilaterally on humanitarian grounds,” it said.
seanne.rall@iol.co.za
IOL