Gigaba must explain why refugee centres have not been opened: DA

06 June 2018 - 09:45
By Ernest Mabuza
DA says that Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba's failure to reopen ports of entries in Cape Town and Port Elizabeth contravenes a court order.
Image: ESA ALEXANDER DA says that Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba's failure to reopen ports of entries in Cape Town and Port Elizabeth contravenes a court order.

The Democratic Alliance (DA) will request that Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba be summoned to Parliament to explain why the Cape Town and Port Elizabeth refugee reception offices have not been reopened.

It said refugees did not use Port Elizabeth or Cape Town as their ports of entry.

The DA said it would write to the chairperson of the Home Affairs Portfolio Committee‚ Lemias Mashile‚ to request that Gigaba be summoned to account for why these reception centres had not been reopened.

“Clearly‚ the failure by Minister Gigaba to obey the courts is compromising the ability of the Department ensure asylum applications are processed and finalised efficiently‚” DA shadow minister of home affairs Haniff Hoosen said.