7 arrested over anti-immigrant extortion in South Africa

South African authorities have arrested seven people in Polokwane on charges of extortion and intimidation linked to anti-immigrant activities, as the government warned against vigilante immigration enforcement and the impersonation of Home Affairs officials.

Justice Minister and chairperson of the Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) on Migration, Mmamoloko Kubayi, said the government was increasingly concerned about members of the public conducting illegal immigration inspections and targeting foreign nationals and businesses.

Speaking during an update on the government's five-point migration plan on Sunday, Kubayi said some individuals were posing as Department of Home Affairs officials and carrying out unlawful identity checks, with some incidents amounting to extortion.

"There are still individuals who impersonate Home Affairs officials and target foreign nationals and some businesses for these illegal identity searches, and some of them are starting to take the shape of extortion," Kubayi said.

"We've seen a video that we have sent to SAPS to assist us because we believe this is a criminal element and amounts to extortion. We want to urge whoever is involved in this wrong practice to desist from it or face the might of the law."

Kubayi confirmed that law enforcement agencies had acted swiftly, resulting in the arrest of seven suspects in Polokwane.

"We are glad to report that our law enforcement authorities acted swiftly in arresting seven of these individuals in Polokwane, and we would like to issue a stern warning to everyone involved in this to stop," she said.

The minister also cautioned groups that confront or obstruct police and immigration officials during lawful operations, citing a recent incident in Bellville, Cape Town, where foreign nationals allegedly resisted law enforcement officers carrying out immigration operations.

"We have noted that some groups tend to confront and seek to resist lawful operations by our law enforcement authorities. A case in point is the confrontation between law enforcement officers and some foreign nationals who were resisting law enforcement operations in Bellville a few days ago," Kubayi said.

"Again, we would like to issue a strong warning against those who undermine the work of our law enforcement officers or otherwise face the consequences."

Kubayi also confirmed that the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) is investigating the death of a Nigerian national during a South African Police Service operation in Parklands, Bellville.

"Regarding reports of individuals who regrettably lost their lives during these operations, we can confirm that the matter is the subject of an investigation by IPID, and the report will be made public in due course," she said.

Separately, police are investigating the deaths of four people in Chloorkop, outside Kempton Park in Ekurhuleni.

Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia said no arrests had been made and that it was too early to determine whether the killings were linked to tensions surrounding illegal immigration.

Although there have been claims that the deceased were Pakistani nationals, Cachalia said police had not confirmed their nationality.

"One thing I would like to say, though, is that we've got to be careful because SAPS don't keep statistics that reflect the ethnicity or the national origins of either victims or perpetrators," he said.

"In this situation, we're having to ask that question so that we can actually understand the extent to which criminality is linked with the illegal immigration crisis."

He added that investigators would continue probing the matter to ensure that no one was being targeted because of their ethnicity or national origin.

Meanwhile, Kubayi dismissed allegations that foreign nationals housed at the Musina Temporary Repatriation Processing Centre had been subjected to human rights violations.

She said government departments, working alongside humanitarian organisations, had been providing food, medical care, clean water, sanitation, child protection services and emergency social support to vulnerable migrants displaced by recent anti-immigrant tensions.

"We want to reiterate that government and social partners have been coordinating assistance to vulnerable foreign nationals affected by recent tensions and displacement," Kubayi said.

"I want to reiterate that there has not been any violation of human rights. Additionally, UN bodies have been on site and can affirm that we've been working in the manner that is required from us."