The South African government has defended the deportation of seven Kenyan nationals, insisting the action was lawful and carried out strictly in accordance with the country’s immigration regulations, amid growing pressure and scrutiny from the United States.
In a statement issued on Thursday, South Africa’s Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) said the deportations were executed by the Department of Home Affairs after the individuals were found to be working without valid work permits.
DIRCO spokesperson, Chrispin Phiri, who signed the statement, said the government would not compromise its sovereignty or the enforcement of its laws.
“The government will not negotiate its sovereignty and the implementation of the rule of law,” the ministry stated, underscoring Pretoria’s firm stance on immigration enforcement.
The deportations come at a time of heightened international attention on South Africa’s domestic and foreign policy decisions, particularly regarding immigration and refugee-related operations.
Separately, the South African government also dismissed allegations circulating in international circles suggesting it was involved in compromising the private data of United States officials.
Authorities described the claims as unsubstantiated and lacking credible evidence.
“South Africa treats all matters of data security with the utmost seriousness and operates under stringent legal and diplomatic protocols. We categorically reject any suggestion of state involvement in such actions,” the statement said.
Despite rejecting the allegations, DIRCO confirmed that diplomatic channels had been opened with the United States to seek clarification and prevent any strain on bilateral relations.
“We remain committed to principled and transparent diplomacy. Official channels have been opened with the United States government to seek clarity on this allegation and to reinforce that our bilateral engagements must be grounded in mutual respect and factual dialogue,” the ministry added.
The U.S. State Department, however, told CNN that it considered “interfering in our refugee operations unacceptable” and said it was seeking immediate clarification over the incident. CNN also reported that two U.S. government employees were briefly detained during the operation, a claim South African authorities denied, insisting no American officials were arrested.
According to officials, the deported Kenyans were employed at processing centres operated by Amerikaners, a group led by white South Africans, and RSC Africa, a Kenya-based refugee support organisation run by Church World Service.
The centres reportedly process applications under a programme linked to former U.S. President Donald Trump, which has facilitated the relocation of a small number of white South Africans to the United States this year.
DIRCO said the involvement of foreign officials working alongside undocumented migrants “raises serious questions about intent and diplomatic protocol” and confirmed that formal engagements had also been initiated with the Kenyan government.
Leave a Reply