Home affairs minister Aaron Motsoaledi said he allowed the United Arab Emirates' leader Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and his 679 visitors to land directly in the Eastern Cape because his trip had financial benefits for the country.
The arrival of the UAE president and his huge entourage for holiday in the Eastern came after weeks p remier Oscar Mabuyane's visit to the UAE.
“We invoke Section 9A when the trip is going to benefit the country in terms of tourism and business. This to us was a pure business transaction. Section 9A isn’t done for individuals, it’s done for the benefit of the country.”
“When you invoke it, you’ve to first look at the safety and security of the country. Two, you look at the developmental needs of your country. I took the decision on those grounds," said Motsoaledi.
The airport is currently not for commercial use.
Motsoaledi said it was not necessary for the some of the guests to apply for visas because the UAE was one of the countries whose citizens enjoy a visa-free status when they come to SA. European countries also enjoy the same benefits.
“The people who came here were 680 in number.”
He said 495 of the visitors came from 32 countries which needed visas and they received the permits to visit at the SA mission in Abu Dhabi.
“However, out of the [remaining] 221, 49 come from the UAE, the rest were from Europe and North America.
He said this was not the first time his department declared a place a port of entry as they have do so in 2015 for a German army which wanted to land in Overberg.
“Every year I [invoke section 9A] for the Lesotho Evangelical Church, who do a pilgrimage following the route which missionaries took when they went to Lesotho by crossing the border where it’s not an official port of entry. When I invoke, I send immigration officials to serve them otherwise they will enter the country illegally.
Motsoaledi lashed at those who compared the incident where the Guptas illegally landed a plane full of wedding guest at the Waterkloof Air Force Base in 2013.
He said before he approved the airport in Eastern Cape as a port of entry he warned Mabuyane that this should not turn into another Gupta scandal.
“When the Guptas came here, home affairs was not even here, making it illegal. In this case, all the 495 visitors we gave visas, we know who they are and we know why they are here.”
Motsoaledi added that the visitors arrived in the country with 10 dogs but they had to be turned away as they didn’t have permits.
sibanyonim@sowetan.co.za
'I gave UAE president's rights of landing for visit in SA': home affairs minister Motsoaledi
Motsoaledi says he invoked Section 9A 'for the benefit of the country'
Image: Trevor Samson / Business Day
Home affairs minister Aaron Motsoaledi said he allowed the United Arab Emirates' leader Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and his 679 visitors to land directly in the Eastern Cape because his trip had financial benefits for the country.
The arrival of the UAE president and his huge entourage for holiday in the Eastern came after weeks p remier Oscar Mabuyane's visit to the UAE.
“We invoke Section 9A when the trip is going to benefit the country in terms of tourism and business. This to us was a pure business transaction. Section 9A isn’t done for individuals, it’s done for the benefit of the country.”
“When you invoke it, you’ve to first look at the safety and security of the country. Two, you look at the developmental needs of your country. I took the decision on those grounds," said Motsoaledi.
The airport is currently not for commercial use.
Motsoaledi said it was not necessary for the some of the guests to apply for visas because the UAE was one of the countries whose citizens enjoy a visa-free status when they come to SA. European countries also enjoy the same benefits.
“The people who came here were 680 in number.”
He said 495 of the visitors came from 32 countries which needed visas and they received the permits to visit at the SA mission in Abu Dhabi.
“However, out of the [remaining] 221, 49 come from the UAE, the rest were from Europe and North America.
He said this was not the first time his department declared a place a port of entry as they have do so in 2015 for a German army which wanted to land in Overberg.
“Every year I [invoke section 9A] for the Lesotho Evangelical Church, who do a pilgrimage following the route which missionaries took when they went to Lesotho by crossing the border where it’s not an official port of entry. When I invoke, I send immigration officials to serve them otherwise they will enter the country illegally.
Motsoaledi lashed at those who compared the incident where the Guptas illegally landed a plane full of wedding guest at the Waterkloof Air Force Base in 2013.
He said before he approved the airport in Eastern Cape as a port of entry he warned Mabuyane that this should not turn into another Gupta scandal.
“When the Guptas came here, home affairs was not even here, making it illegal. In this case, all the 495 visitors we gave visas, we know who they are and we know why they are here.”
Motsoaledi added that the visitors arrived in the country with 10 dogs but they had to be turned away as they didn’t have permits.
sibanyonim@sowetan.co.za
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