Home Affairs Minister, Dr. Leon Schreiber, has launched Operation New Broom, an initiative that leverages technology to arrest, convict, and deport illegal immigrants occupying public spaces.
The first operation which is part of an ongoing nationwide campaign, occurred in District 6, on Wednesday.
During the operation, 25 suspects were arrested for
occupying land designated for restitution to victims of forced removals.
“Operation New Broom tackles an old issue with new energy
and technology in urban areas across the country,” said the department.
This morning, #TeamHomeAffairs launched ππ©ππ«πππ’π¨π§ πππ° ππ«π¨π¨π¦ in Cape Town. To restore rule of law, we’re focusing on hotspots across SA to arrest, convict and deport illegal immigrants occupying public spaces. Lawful, intel-led, tech-driven solutions in action! πΏπ¦ pic.twitter.com/du6tgaMMCr
It added that the operation uses biometric technology to
verify suspects’ immigration status, eliminating the risk of fraudulent
documents and building stronger legal cases.
“As with everything else we do, Operation New Broom is
guided by our commitment to the rule of law. It is this commitment that both
motivates us to do more to combat illegality and to uphold due process and
legal compliance in the process,” explained.
Schreiber believes that the department’s commitment to
digital transformation is being felt across all areas of Home Affairs’ mandate,
including through the strides made by the Border Management Authority (BMA) at
the borders and inland.
“Our message to anyone who is in the country illegally is
clear – voluntarily deport yourself now, before we arrest and prohibit you from
entering or obtaining legal status in South Africa in the future.’’
Done by: Mitchum George
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