PRESIDENT THABO MBEKI LAUNCHES ”NEW” NATIONAL IMMIGRATION BRANCH
April 2005
With much pomp and ceremony the National Immigration Branch (the
“NIB”) of the Department of Home Affairs was launched at the Cape
Town Convention Centre on Tuesday the 12th of April 2005.
It was a high profile launch at which the President and the Minister
of Home Affairs announced that the main functions of the NIB will be
to professionalise the exercising of control over the entry, stay
and departure of foreign nationals in South Africa as regulated by
the Immigration and Refugee Acts.
A further function of the NIB will be to transform itself into a
professional, efficient and effective branch of the Department of
Home Affairs.NIB members will wear a distinctive new uniform on
which their rank and status in the Department will be defined as
well as the identity of that official.
A further feature of the NIB will be the degree to which it will
become technically enabled. All NIB officials at ports of entry/exit
will be equipped with or have access to inter alia
Linear barcode scanners;
Passport readers;
Electronic fingerprint readers;
Electronic hand signature pads;
Smartcard readers;
Digital cameras;
Ultraviolet light and magnifying glasses;
A4 scanners;
Various other electronic devices calculated to assist in the performance of their tasks.
The President stated that the first task of
the NIB would be to discourage illegal migration into South Africa
by encouraging foreign nationals to apply for different permits to
legalise their stay in the country. He also stated that it intends
to create an enabling environment for foreign direct investment into
South Africa and also to attract scarce skills required by our
economy.
The Minister of Home Affairs also announced at the launch that the
new smartcard refugee identity cards had been completed and that the
first 50,000 were available for issue, further stating that the
rollout of the first refugee identity cards would be on the 1st of
May 2005
It is hoped that the transformation of uniforms, the addition of
highly technological electronic equipment will ensure that the
current levels of service delivery will be addressed by the NIB as a
priority.
Should you require any further information please do not hesitate to
contact office or visit our website for further information at
www.immigration-sa.com
JULIAN POKROY
IMMIGRATION SPECIALIST ATTORNEY
IMMIGRATION SA
Tel : (012) 460-3410 / 072 372 6007
Fax : (012) 346-1434
Cell : 082 558 5002
Web : www.immigration-sa.com
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