Phone-obsessed SA immigration officer under probe

by SAVIOUS KWINIKA
MUSINA, (CAJ News) – SOUTH Africa is investigating an immigration officer for allegedly playing on her smartphone while ignoring long queues of travellers at the Beitbridge border post with Zimbabwe.

Home Affairs Minister, Malusi Gigaba, has ordered the department to
investigate following public outcry by travellers.

A video of the immigration officer chatting on her smartphone while queues formed sparked the outrage.

“I was this morning (Wednesday) informed about the video circulating on
social media platforms, and have asked the Department of @HomeAffairsSA to investigate this matter and take swift action against the official,” Gigaba stated on his twitter account.

Several travelers at the South African border side of Musina complained
waiting long hours at the border while the woman spent time on her
smartphone.

“It is very unprofessional for someone to play with her smartphone when
there is a long queue of travelers like this! Why not clear the travelers,
and then play with your phone,” queried a Zimbabwean businesswoman.

Another traveler from Malawi said: “Such conduct of ill-treating other
Africans travelling into South Africa has been happening for long yet when they (South Africans) visit our country we don’t do that.”

The Beitbridge border post, the busiest in Sub-Saharan Africa, is the
gateway to several countries in Southern Africa and beyond.

A Zambian man traveling to Johannesburg said: “I think this woman deserves expulsion! Honestly, jobs are scarce, but one is abusing the opportunity she has due to stubbornness.”

A Congolese traveler equated the immigration officer’s actions to
discrimination.

“This is insane or xenophobia we always we hear of,” he said.

Former South African journalist, Cedric Mboiya, also equated the behaviour to xenophobia.

“SA is full of bigotry – racists, tribalists, xenophobes and so on. Not
even education has helped to get rid of such stupidity,” he blasted.

Majority SA immigration officers at the Musina border side have long been accused of soliciting bribes from travellers wishing to be in the country for more days. Those not paying were given less then a week.

– CAJ News