03 Feb 2016

The Minister of Labour Home Affairs,. Mr Edwin Batshu, says it is the mandate of his ministry to control movement of persons and in cases of deportations, deportees are facilitated to travel their countries of origin.

Responding to a parliamentary question on Tuesday, Mr Batshu said a total of 413 foreign nationals were declared prohibited immigrants and deported to their countries of origin in the year 2014 and 2015.  He said out of 413 foreigners, 373 were declared prohibited immigrants in terms of Section 41 (1) (a) of the Immigration Act for having been convicted and sentenced to imprisonment without the option a fine.

The Minister further said the remaining 40 foreigners were declared prohibited immigrants under Section 41 1(c) which empowers the President to declare any person a prohibited immigrant in consequence of information received from a reliable source. He said deportees make their own arrangements for disposal of their assets and one of the prohibited immigrants was married to Motswana.

The MP for Francistown South, Mr Wynter Mmolotsi had asked the minister how many foreigners were deported in the last two years and the reasons for their deportations. He also wanted to know what happened to the assets they accrued while in Botswana and how many of them were married to Batswana. Ends