Department of Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi has accused US non-governmental organisation (NGO) The Lifeline Foundation of using the legal system to undermine South Africa’s sovereignty.
Twenty-two Afghans were initially denied access into the country after they requested to be granted asylum.
The NGO’s lawyers took South Africa’s home affairs department to court, asking for the Afghans to be allowed entry to the country.
However, Motsoaledi said the department would be challenging the court’s decision to give the asylum seekers access into the country.
He said allowing them to enter the country could pose a risk, citing that they left Afghanistan due to disputes with the Taliban.
“If there are people that are in danger in Afghanistan and they rush to South Africa, and the Taliban decides to follow them here, isn’t the US the most powerful country to defend them and protect them?
“As they are the ones who went to Afghanistan to take over from the Taliban, not us, because you see, we don’t have any military power,” Motsoaledi said.
Source : Eye Witness News
